For those who haven’t yet read the newest lore book The Chronicon, I suggest giving that a read over. In summation, this new book is the writings of Loyalist Scribes recounting the time Calus spend on his Leviathan during his exile as well as several “forthcoming” chapters, in which these scribes write down events predicted by Emperor Calus focused around the actions of the Shadow of Earth. ​ If you couldn’t guess, the Shadow cast by Earth is the Guardian, Young Wolf, Chosen by the Light, Slayer of Kings and Queens alike. As many predicted before, the Guardian would be accepting the Emperor’s offer to become their right hand and primary enforcer. As many did not predict, this means slaughtering a majority of the individuals most closest to them. Variks, Mara Sov, Rasputin, Failsafe, Holliday, the Drifter, an unkilled Toland, a defenseless Osiris, Zavala, Ikora and even a resurrected Cayde 7. They’re all on the chopping block for the Shadow of Shadows. Obviously, all of this is a future that Calus finds most ideal for his plans, and as such has yet to happen and has no guarantee to even take place. As the Vex, the War Cult, Osiris, and likely even Skolas will tell you, the future isn’t set in stone. In fact, its quite malleable. While Calus is intimately familiar with the shape of this future, it is but one of countless in the ever branching present. ​ But, just because this future isn’t guaranteed to happen, doesn’t mean it isn’t a legitimate outcome to the current timeline. All the events, while heavily presumed, are feasible to happen given the right circumstances. And while the death of Mara Sov, as well as the eradication of the Rasputin AI and his Futurescape all sound appealing to me, unfortunately, those must remain fantasy. The Guardian’s betrayal is too heavy a price for personal satisfaction. The Vanguard and all proxy must stand. Especially given the smug, entitled attitude the Shadow of Earth has adopted. The way the behaved at the negotiations between Vanguard and Cabal was appalling and all too reminiscent of a certain Queen I know of. Ranting and raging as if they’ve never received bountiful thanks and compensation for their deeds. What good is a Broken Curse to a dead people? You think you’re owed a gratitude for saving humanity from one Maw just to toss them to another? A thousand Ghauls are preferable to the Heralds to the End of All Things. ​ The question then falls to how this future is to be avoided. Obviously, there are more than a few Guardians clambering to become a Shadow of Calus, so if current events keep their course, it seems almost unavoidable with the Emperor having so many of the Lightbearers enthralled with his sweet nothings of cosmic annihilation. But surely there must be a way to avoid this outcome, even if the Lightbearers won’t do anything. And I think there is. Much to my dismay, however, I believe that the last hope to snap the Guardians out of their trance lies with Queen Mara Sov. ​ In the forthcoming chapters of the Chronicon, Mara is referred to as a “Shipbreaker”, implying that she was somewhat successful in her battle against the Pyramid Ships and has, at least, destroyed one of their vessels if not more. I know some might be questioning how Mara could challenge Calus when she is to be killed by the Shadow of Earth after not becoming a Shadow herself. Well, we know from a few contradictive actions made by certain individuals in these forthcoming chapters that these predictions are not 100% accurate. ​ A shining example of this is how Petra takes up the title of Shadow of the Awoken after Mara is killed, then proceeds to kill any Awoken still loyal to the Queen. Anyone who’s talked to Petra for more than 5 minutes will know that’s she’d hunt the Shadow of Earth down to the coldest corner of the universe and mount their Ghost on her Galliot is they killed Mara. Still, the question remains of how Mara could circumvent the Emperor’s plans. Its simple. There’s an unforeseen factor in Calus’s predictions, something he failed to sick his Shadow of Shadows on. And something Mara just so happens to be allied with. You know them, you’re lukewarm on them, the enormous celestial masses of dark matter that reside in the planets of Sol, none other than the Nine themselves. ​ The Nine aren’t mentioned anywhere in the Chronicon, and its still unclear whether or not Calus is even aware of their existence at all. It would reason that if he did know of the Nine, that he would make an attempt to kill them as well. After all, Calus aspires to be the last living thing alive, to the point that he’d have his Shadows undo Toland’s death to kill him properly. The Nine’s ability to exist off the consciousness of other living beings would likely anger the Emperor a fair deal, since he could never truly be the last living thing alive. And yet, the Nine are never dealt with in the Chronicon. They aren’t even brought up in the Season of Opulence at all. We know from the Lore Book Dust that the Nine have been reaching out to the Leviathan, although its unclear if contact was being made with Calus or if they were observing him. Their existence hinges on the prolonged survival of life in Sol, so one could expect they’d be none to happy the plans he’s made. ​ We know that only three individuals have been able to transcend the Nine’s design. The Hourglass, the Blade and the Rogue. Its possible Calus was one of those to transcend, although from their descriptions, probably not. Which means the Nine may be the only things standing between Sol and it’s destruction at the hands of it’s former champion. And since the Queen hasn’t been known to take other’s claiming their Royalty in her domain, I imagine she has a few words to share with the Cabal Emperor. After all, what was the last thing she told the Guardian before her departure? Bow to no one. And by the way things are looking, I see nothing but bent knees in the future. ​ Do not be fooled, Lightbearer. The blissful end that Calus offers is but an illusion. A submission to all that is not Light. He’s sweetening his forward while arming his dreg. Armed with daggers aimed at all that you have protected up until now. If the Shadow of Shadows is to come about, then the Traveler was wrong to resurrect it’s Chosen one. If the predictions in the Chronicon are to be taken with sincerity, then you have a choice to make. Reject the Emperor’s Dogma, and rend his soul to dust against the cold hull of his Leviathan, or in the words of a disgruntled Fallen, kill all your friends and then yourself.