DayBreak

In a deep, resonant voice, the figure speaks. <span class="fade">"Hello, Illuminator... I am Stohg."</span> The sound vibrates the air, both mechanical and alive, carrying warmth despite its echo. “ I have awakened you. “A GREAT” threat stirs within our “SOLAR SYSTEM”, something ancient, something I can no longer face alone. For centuries, I have searched the stars, moving from solar system to system, following only fragments of your light that I can see. The being lowers its gaze, energy pulsing like a heartbeat through its form. “ And now”... at last… I have found you. Here on this fractured planet called Earth.” [[ what class are you ?]]

“Illuminator”, Sthog says, his voice deep and steady, resonating through the still air. “There are four classes that you may choose from, each bound to the light in its own way. They are known as Titan, Hunter, Warlock, and the Speaker. Your path will shape not only who you will become, but what the future remembers of you.” [[Titan]] [[ Hunter]] [[Warlock]] [[ Speaker]]

As a Titan, you are the shield of humanity, forged with discipline, bound by honor, and defined by sacrifice. You stand on the front lines when all else falls, holding the light against the endless darkness. Strength and order are your creed. You and others like you form legions created by discipline, building walls, cities, and hope itself from the ashes of the broken world. The darkness hunts the Wanderer, and you will meet it head-on. For that is what it means to be a Titan, to defend, to endure, and to never fall. [[Your Legend Begins]] <img src= "https://d1lss44hh2trtw.cloudfront.net/resize?type=webp&url=https%3A%2F%2Fshacknews-www.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fassets%2Feditorial%2F2024%2F04%2Fdestiny-2-saint-14.jpg&width=986&sign=anivhAu5Wbsc_sxD_1v3VUzJUWa2NhA-HTy_cf0OkT4"width=900px>

As a Warlock, you are a scholar of the arcane, a seeker of truths hidden within the stars. You wield cosmic forces few dare to touch, bending light, void, and unknown energies through will and wisdom. Many call you a space wizard, but your power runs deeper than names or titles. You draw strength from the Wanderer itself, channeling its light into both destruction and renewal. Whether unleashing storms of energy or healing those beside you, your mastery of the arcane shapes the balance between chaos and creation. You are knowledge given form, and your mind is as sharp as your power. [[Your Legend Begins]] <img src= " https://cdna.artstation.com/p/assets/images/images/069/446/424/large/brian-moncus-alex.jpg?1700149401"width=200px>

As the Speaker, you are the voice between worlds, the bridge between humanity and the Wanderer. You guide other Illuminators with wisdom rather than force, offering spiritual insight, ancient knowledge, and the truths hidden beneath centuries of silence. Through you, the people learn the lore of their past, the dangers of the present, and the hopes of what may come. You provide rare and unique gear to those who walk the path of the Light, equipping each Illuminator according to their destiny. Your words carry weight, your counsel shapes leaders, and your presence restores calm in a world on the edge of collapse. You are the storyteller, the advisor, and the keeper of the Wanderer’s will. [[ In the city]] [[ Meetings]]

<div class="shake-screen"> As your transformation completes, Stohg’s light flickers with sudden alarm. The ground trembles beneath your feet as shadows sweep across the ruins. Above you, enemy ships rip through the clouds, descending in formation searchlights slicing through the broken landscape. Stohg’s voice crashes through the air: <span class="hardshake">“ILLUMINATOR! GO! NOW!”</span> </div> [[ Follow what your stohg is saying]] [[ Go and fight with no expeircene]]

You follow Stohg into an abandoned building, his light guiding you through the dust and darkness. He points to a rusted chest. Inside, you find a submachine gun. Its weight feels cold and real as Stohg quickly teaches you how to use it. As you move deeper inside, a sharp clicking sound echoes ahead. Spider-like creatures crawl from the shadows, walking like humans, gripping spears and rifles. They spot you. They screech. And they open fire. [[ Take cover ]]

You circle the nearest monsters, eyes locked on their twitching limbs. A hot, animal urge rises in your chest, fight or be hunted. You snatch a rusted metal pipe from the debris and swing. The pipe connects with a sickening crack. One creature stumbles; you drive in, pry its spear free, then wrench the rifle from its grip. The new weapons are cold and real in your hands, the world narrows to breath and the weight of metal. [[ Blood Lust]]

<div class="flash"></div> You dive behind a crumbling wall, breath sharp and shaking. You force yourself to stay calm, gripping the weapon Stohg gave you. When you lean out and fire, the recoil snaps through your arms, but your shots land. Each creature you drop bursts into dust and metal, leaving behind glowing XP and scattered rewards. You steady yourself. This is real. And it’s only the beginning. <span class="spark">+25 XP</span> [[ On Word]]

The rush hits you first, a fierce, unexpected surge of joy after the last creature falls. Your new body feels sharper, stronger, more alive than anything you remember. With each breath, you begin to sense the abilities awakening inside you, humming beneath your skin like charged light. The spiders around you lie still. The air settles. You steady yourself… and turn toward the next ruin. It’s time to keep moving. [[ Exploring]]

As a Hunter, you walk through the edge between the light and the shadow. You are a lone wolf guided by instinct and precision. You move ahead of the pack, silent and unseen, striking before others even know that danger is near. Orders rarely interest you unless they come from someone who has earned your respect. Your trust is not easily given, but once it is gained, it's unbreakable. You wield the powers of Solar, Void, Arc, and Strand with lethal mastery, bending them to your will in ways few can match. You are the unseen blade in the dark, the first to strike and the last to fall. [[Your Legend Begins]] <img src= "https://destiny.bungie.org/images/bcook_hunter/nightstalker.jpg"width=800px>

You exit into a field of dead machines: cars, tanks, planes. Spiders emerge. You drop them, one after another, clearing the path. Inside the next building: a long hall, then a massive chamber. A ship waits in the dark. You and Stohg move in to inspect . The stohg examining the ship. As the clicking starts to begin again. Spiders flood the entrances, weapons at the ready. Round two. [[ Heading to the city]]

After escaping the enemy, the ship carries you into the city, the last safe place for civilians and Illuminators like you. Above everything, the Wanderer hangs in the sky, glowing like a silent guardian. The ship lands in the city hangar, and when you step out, you’re struck speechless. The place is alive with people, packed with movement and voices. As you walk, bruised and battered, eyes turn toward you. Whispers follow. “A new Illuminator…” You steady yourself. They expect you to report to the Vanguard… and the Speaker. [[ The-encounter]] <img src= "https://xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com/sites/2/POE_Cetus.jpg"width=900px>

In the building , a lone chest catches your eye. You crack it open and claim the reward that was inside, the energy pulsing through you as you continue forward. Going room after room, you clear out everything in your path, every chest you saw you opened, every enemy you saw you killed. With every fight, every drop of experience you gained, your powers grew and got sharper, intoxicating, almost unstoppable. But then, when you finally reached the chamber holding a spaceship… Something felt wrong. [[ Surprise attack]]

<div class="shake-screen"> You circle the ship, brushing dust off its hull, when the air snaps—an ambush. Shadows leap at you from every side. You fight them back as Stohg works desperately to wake the ship. </div> Then the chamber trembles. (live: 0.6s)[  <div class="flash"></div> <div class="shake-hard"> A twelve-foot spider-creature crawls into view, a red health bar and skull glowing above its head. A boss. A nightmare. </div> (stop:) ] (live: 1.3s)[  <div class="flash-red"></div> It hits you before you can react. One blow, then another, slamming you into the floor. Your vision blurs. (stop:) ] (live: 2.0s)[  <strong><span class="hardshake">“Hold on!”</span></strong> Stohg shouts. (stop:) ] (live: 2.7s)[  Light engulfs you as he drags you toward the hatch. You collapse inside as the engines roar. The monster lunges But the ship tears free, shooting into the sky. You’re beaten, shaking… but alive. And together, you and Stohg flee toward the city. (stop:) ] [[ Heading to the city]]

Living in the city, you take charge. You go to all the government meeting and political parties. You speak for the wander. You put ease in everyone's heart since everyone listens to you and you keep order. [[ The-encounter]] <img src= "https://xboxwire.thesourcemediaassets.com/sites/2/POE_Cetus.jpg"width=900px>

You stand before the Vanguard, three leaders of the city, each watching you with a weight that settles in your chest. The room feels thick, expectant. The first to step forward is a broad-shouldered man with a worn Titan crest on his chestplate. He removes his helmet, revealing a dark beard and steady eyes. “I’m James Ironwood,” he says. “Titan Commander.” Next to him sits a woman with a calm expression and a storm dancing around her arm, a shimmer of violet aura wrapped in crackling blue lightning. “And I am Amber Raven,” she says. “Warlock Vanguard.” In the corner, a figure leans back in a chair, dragging a knife across the sole of his boot. He finally lowers his hood, sharp eyes cutting through the dim light. “Zerif Ondego,” he mutters. “Hunter representative.” Three leaders. Three legends. And all of them… staring at you. [[ Chapter 2]] [[ Speaker only]]

They know you’re new, fresh out of the grave. They want to test your strength, so they give you a choice: Fight with them and join your class-specific league. Stay in the city to work the wall and protect the borders. Apply for Special Forces (many exams and trials). Or follow standard protocol and report to the system. [[Leauge]] [[ Exploration]] [[Boarder Potroal]] [[ Special Forces]]

The city slept, but the walls never did. Along the broken highways and collapsed towers that marked the edge of safety, the portal moved day and night. Throughout the night, Your stohg and the others hovered close, casting faint light across the rusted wreckage and long forgotten streets. A titan led the way, shield slung across their back, every step deliberate and unshaken. The hunter trailed just out of sight, slipping between shadows, scanning rooftops, and scouting ahead of the team, looking for the faintest sign of movement of the enemy. High above both the titan and hunter, the warlock floated for a moment. Cloak billowing as their eyes traced the horizon, sensing for ripples of the dark energy that always comes before the monsters come out. [[ The Night]]

The Titans stood at the breach, their armor scorched and their resolve unbroken as fire rained from the sky. Where others faltered, they became the wall. Their purpose was simple: to protect the Light and defend the people. Every dented plate and shattered helm told the story of a warrior who refused to yield. For Titans, there was no greater glory than standing tall as the darkness closed in. The Hunters roamed the wild systems, lone wolves and wanderers who thrived on the edge of chaos. They moved like shadows striking fast, vanishing faster, and bending every rule of engagement. Hunters trusted their instincts above all else, chasing risk and reward in equal measure. The Warlocks were scholars of the Light, wielders of cosmic power, and keepers of lost knowledge. They walked among the ruins of forgotten worlds, unearthing the secrets of civilizations long dead. When the time to fight came, their hands burned with the fury of stars, masters of both healing and destruction, wisdom and war. [[ Research]] [[ Scout]] [[ On Guard]]

<span class="flicker"> For a while, the stars are gentle. They drift around you like ancient lanterns, and the distant planets glow soft and silent. It feels peaceful… almost like this is where you were meant to be. Ten long years since your reawakening, and the void finally feels like home. </span> Fragments of forgotten civilizations float past your ship broken cities, shattered moons, ruins that should not exist. Their whispers seem to brush against the hull. (live: 1.2s)[ <div class="dark-flash"></div> (stop:) ] As the visions intensify, your radar screams space ahead twists violently. <div class="subtle-shake"> A spiral-shaped wound forms in the cosmos, dragging debris and shattered worlds toward it. Your ship trembles as every warning light flickers red. </div> Systems crackle. Panels flicker. Something is pulling you in. [[The Blank]] <img src= "https://www.orokinarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/angels_of_zariman_cutscene_sshot_edit_crop.png"width=1000px>

As you steady your breathing, trying to prepare your mind for what’s ahead, a fellow Illuminator steps beside you. Their voice is calm, but heavy with experience. <span class="slow-pulse">“We are not chosen,”</span> they say. <span class="slow-pulse">“We are tested.”</span> Their words echo gently through the corridor. <span class="slow-pulse">“In the shadowed halls of this city—where the Light bends, splits, and breaks—we pass through trials for those who want more than a title.”</span> You stare at the floor, doubt spiraling. *Why am I here?* They continue: <span class="slow-pulse">“The first test breaks the body.”</span> <span class="slow-pulse">“The second test breaks the mind.”</span> <span class="slow-pulse">“The final test breaks the spirit.”</span> <br> <span class="fade-silence">Just you… and the suffocating silence…</span> [[ Grad ]]

<span class="void-flicker"> Space twists before you, a spiral-like abyss opening where nothing should be. The Zariman groans as its systems falter, alarms screaming. Stars bend. Reality tears. Visions of lives consumed by the void flicker at the edges of your sight. </span> (live: 0.5s)[ <div class="void-flash"></div> (stop:) ] <div class="cosmic-shake"> The gravity well drags you closer relentless, hungry. And beneath the noise, you feel it again… the same darkness that once touched you, now reaching for more than just your ship. </div> As the ship is pulled toward the anomaly, the Zariman's emergency clamps slam onto your hull. Your heart hammers as fear climbs your spine, but your hands stay steady until the landing completes. The hatch opens. You step out into the loading docks dim lights flickering, metal humming, and a cold silence that feels… wrong. [[The calling]] <img src= "https://www.orokinarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/angels_of_zariman_cutscene_sshot_edit_crop.png"width=1000px>

The Ruins that surrounded them whispered of old battles, of enemies beaten back but never gone. Every night was the same: watch, wait, and prepare. And still, each illuminator knew why they stood there. They weren't just patrolling for themselves, but for the countless souls that are sleeping safely behind the walls. You're at the edge of the city, where the light meets the unknown. The border patrol kept its silent vow. Fear lingered in the dark, but resolve burned brighter in you and your team. [[What was once peaceful isn't what I thought]]

<div class="scene-dark"> <span class="heavy"> You sit on the cold ground, lungs burning, trying to steady your breath. Your stomach twists from everything you’ve just pushed through—the fear, the pressure, the throwing up, the pain. But you made it. You <span class="myth">survived the trial.</span> </span> <br><br> <span class="heavy"> A few figures step out beside you, emerging from the Crucible whole. Fewer still can even stand. And only a handful carry the strength to move forward. </span> <br><br> <span class="myth"> Those few… they become something greater than protectors. They become the blade drawn at the edge of darkness— the strike that lands before the enemy breaches the walls. The unseen oath that the Last City will never break. </span> <br><br> <span class="heavy"> You rise to your feet and join the small circle of survivors. Four candidates. One leader. </span> <br><br> <span class="myth"> “Special Forces,” he says. “Forged in trials. Bound in Light. Called only when the impossible must be done.” </span> </div> [[ Situation]]

Similar to the city watch, your duty is to maintain peace and protect the civilians within the Stack. You and your squad patrol the city streets, scanning for signs of corruption, threats, or anything that breaks the fragile balance. Life as part of the Border Patrol isn’t much different from that of an ordinary citizen, except for the power in your hands. You carry weapons forged in Light, and abilities that few can comprehend. You watch over the people, unseen but always present, guardians of order amid the chaos. For most, it’s a peaceful life. For you… It’s only the calm before the next storm. [[ Tavern]]

You roam the outer edges of the city, guiding scattered civilians back to safety whenever you find them. Your missions take you from planet to planet, tracking down the last survivors hiding in abandoned colonies and forgotten outposts. Each time, you bring them home back to Earth, back to the Light. Sometimes, you work with scouting teams. Other times, you move alone, slipping ahead of the group to grab valuable loot and supplies before anyone else reaches them. It’s dangerous work… but it keeps you alive, and it keeps the city standing. [[Black Market]]

<div class="arrival-fade"> You travel from world to world, recording history for the people back home scrolls of truth, stories of survival. Your ship breaks through the clouds of <span class="shimmer">Alpha</span>, a planet once whispered about in the archives. The surface glows with remnants of impossible technology towers half-buried in ash, vehicles long abandoned but still humming faintly with power. Each step feels like walking through a forgotten empire that never truly died. </div> [[ Alpha]]

As you roam the city streets, a chill cuts through the air. Every Special Illuminator has been summoned. Your Stohg begins to ringJames Ironwood is calling all units to the Vanguard war room. You make your way inside. Veterans and newcomers fill the chamber, circling the central table. Armor clinks. Voices drop to hushed tones. The room feels heavier with every passing second. Above the table, a holographic map flickers to life. A single beacon pulses in the void. The signal of the Guardian who was pulled into the black hole… now marked deep in the outer realms. [[ Limitation]] <img src= "https://www.pcinvasion.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Destiny-2-Season-of-the-Chosen-HELM-and-War-Table-guide-.jpg"width=1000px>

<div class="vignette"> As you roam the city, something feels off. The wind is still. The air too quiet. Then your Stohg vibrates sharply a signal from James Ironwood. A summons to the war room. For *every* Special Illuminator. That has never happened before. You push inside and freeze. Veterans stand shoulder to shoulder with recruits. No one jokes. No one speaks. Every gaze is locked on the hologram pulsing above the table. A single <span class="beacon">beacon</span> blinks in the void. The signal of the Guardian who vanished into the black hole. But now… it’s transmitting from somewhere it shouldn’t exist a point deep in the outer realm, far beyond charts, maps, or logic. The room tightens. Breaths shorten. Your heart feels heavier, beating like a war drum. <span class="heartbeat">Something is alive out there…</span> And then the hologram distorts. Static tears through the projection. Coordinates shift. For one horrifying second, the beacon moves closer. <span class="shock">Too close.</span> </div> [[ The Rescue]]

As the war room erupts with voices, people talk over one another, tension rising like heat off metal. You think just for a second about volunteering. About proving yourself. But you're a rookie. And everyone knows it. James leans in close to Amber and Zerif, speaking low and urgent. All three look grim. All three nod. Amber steps into the center of the room. Her presence alone silences it. **“If you can’t decide,”** she says, **“I’ll pick the six myself.”** She begins to walk slow, deliberate around the circle of Illuminators. Eyes sharp. Footsteps echoing. Then she looks at you. <span class="tremble">Her stare hits you like a tremor.</span> She starts moving toward you But the hologram spikes. A burst of static cuts the air. The beacon begins to <span class="glitch">flicker</span>… Once. Twice. And then <span class="shock">it disappears.</span> The room explodes in panic. Something out there moved first. **TO BE CONTINUED…** [[Chapter 3]]

As you and your team head back to the city, you feel at peace. But little did they know of the backstabbing that was about to happen. As Your patrolling with the team, one of the other illuminators leave the group as you're walking with the titan, you didn’t notice. The hunter that was once with ya wasn't there anymore as the warlock and titan stopped the atmosphere, changed, and then it got cold. The hunter is looking at you three. He held his gun as it turned into a rusted gun and started glowing green as his eyes transformed. "You guys are not going back to the city." TO BE CONTINUED...... <img src= "https://pm1.aminoapps.com/7095/53780eb241b7e95cc86da1b9ef08b11b5555e488r1-1000-511v2_hq.jpg"width=1000px> [[Credits]]

You fight through wave after wave of robotic enemies, their metal bodies collapsing into clouds of sparks and smoke. When the final one falls, silence returns broken only by the faint hum of Alpha’s strange technology. You sit on the ridge, pull out your journal, and begin recording what you’ve seen. The landscapes of Alpha stretch endlessly around you a world of innovation long gone quiet. <span class="glitch-transmit">[Transmitting data to HQ...]</span> You sketch the broken towers and forgotten machines, sending your final report through the static. (live: 1.8s)[ <div class="fade-away"> As the last report uploads, the sky glows with the light of your ship’s beacon. You stand, feeling the ground vibrate beneath your boots one final time, and make your way back toward your vessel. </div> (stop:) ] <div class="engine-shake"> The engines roar to life. You take off, leaving the metallic ruins of Alpha behind, setting your course for home back toward Earth, back toward the solar system. </div> [[Credits]]

<span class="horror-flicker"> As you roam the Zariman ship, you feel as if you were called here. Every hallway breathes the walls groaning like something trapped inside them. Abandoned classrooms. Empty bunks. The remains of lives left mid-moment. </span> You see a child a flicker of light appearing and vanishing in the dark. You follow him through corridors that shouldn’t exist. He leads you into a spotless room. A table. Steam rising from a hot meal. You sit. The boy appears across from you, watching. “I’m Tenno,” he whispers. His voice echoes… and doesn’t stop. (live: 1.5s)[ <div class="flash-red"></div> (stop:) ] Then the scream. A sound that claws through metal and bone distant, but wrong, like it came from every direction at once. <div class="horror-shake"> The lights flicker. The ship moans. Something moves in the dark. </div> <img src="https://static.fanbyte.com/uploads/2022/04/warframe-void-angel-boss-fight.png"width=800px> **TO BE CONTINUED...** [[Chapter 3]]

You sit in a meeting that's being held about the politicians, and they are talking about how the illluminators should be in check. James,Amber, and Zerif sit in this meeting since they are the vanguard leaders and leaders for each faction. James, the leader of titans, Amber leader of warlocks, and Zerif leader of hunters. [[ The-encounter]]

As you're in your tower meditating. You go and walk around the city as everything seems to cool down. The vanguard takes care of the enemies and the other illuminators, as peace is being brought to our galaxy. You start writing in your notebook as you get summoned to a meeting. [[ Limitation]]

The hum of voices fills the tavern with laughter, deals, and the clinking of glasses echoing through the air. You take a seat at a wooden table near the corner, spreading out your weapons and rare items across the surface. Blades gleam under the dim light, energy cells hum softly, and relics from forgotten worlds catch every curious eye. You start placing small handwritten price signs beside each piece. Traders drift closer, curious, whispering numbers under their breath. The bartender slides you a drink, grinning. “Looks like business is good tonight.” You trade, talk, and laugh with strangers who might be friends or rivals by morning. For a while, you forget the chaos beyond these walls. Just for tonight, you let yourself have fun. <img src="https://preview.redd.it/wxy1jh6f12971.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=4a47a69bd426a80ede06821894a5b331b87ca708"width=1000px> [[Credits]]

The black market is a maze of shadows and whispered deals. You move through the crowd with your hood low, scanning every face. Armor clatters as shady figures turn to stare at you, some wearing blood-stained plates, others decorated with trophies… skulls, bones, things better left unmentioned. Their eyes follow you as you pass, measuring you… judging you. You’re here for one thing: a killer on the run. A bounty with a long list of victims. And then you spot them. For a split second, your eyes meet. They bolt. You sprint after them, shoving past merchants, crates, and thieves as the entire market erupts into chaos. The hunt has begun. [[ Unscertanty]]

As you chase the fugitive through the black market, you feel eyes locking onto you. Whispers ripple through the crowd. People shift, stepping into your path, not attacking, just blocking, closing in, moving like a living wall. You’re gaining on your target… just a few more steps… Until someone cuts you off. Hard. Instinct kicks in. Your hand goes to your Golden Gun. One pull of the trigger and the criminal is yours But civilians would fall with them. You freeze. Jaw tight. Heart pounding. And in that hesitation… the bounty slips away into the maze of alleys. Was letting them go the right choice? Or a mistake that will come back for you later…? TO BE CONTINUED… [[Credits]]

The air around you is silent, weightless, eternal. Then, through the dark, a soft voice echoes like a forgotten hymn carried on by cosmic winds. The melody calls ot you, pulling your soul from the abyss. Your eyes open to a fractured world under a fading sky. The air around you hums with static, cold and electric. Rusted machines and broken ships lie half-buried in the dust and sand that surrounds you. Remnants of an old age are left forgotten right before you. As you look up, you see it. The being that pulled you from the nothingness. Its form radiates with shifting light, a blend of metal and divinity. You feel its gaze pierce through you, not with words, but with a purpose. You have finally awakened. The Light has found you again. [[Who are you]]

<div class="sw-intro"> A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… </div> <div class="title-intro"> <p>Welcome to DayBreak.</p> [[Awakened->Awakened]] </div>

<div class="credits"> <h2>DAYBREAK</h2> <h3>Created by</h3> <p>Ramon Rivera</p> <hr> <h3>Background Art</h3> <p> Galaxy backdrop inspired by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s <i>Artist’s impression of a galaxy</i> (2018, National Science Foundation). </p> <h3>Music</h3> <p> <i>Elden Ring – Original Soundtrack</i> (FromSoftware, 2022) Used tracks (via YouTube): <br> “Song of Honor” – QqbHqx4niUI “The Final Battle” – zA0SLsGuTGw </p> <hr> <h3>Code, Tools & Tutorials</h3> <p> Twine (Harlowe story format) <br> CSS styling and layout tips from the Twine Wiki: <i>“Styling Your Story with CSS (Harlowe)”</i> JavaScript reference and external media examples from the Twine Cookbook. </p> <hr> <h3>Design & Writing Inspiration</h3> <p> Rogers, S. (2019). <i>Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design</i> (2nd ed., Wiley). </p> <p> Visual and thematic inspiration drawn from: <br> Destiny & Destiny 2 artwork (Saint-14, Hunters, War Tables), Warframe locations like Cetus and the Zariman, and sci-fi character art by various concept artists (including Brian Moncus on ArtStation). </p> <hr> <h3>Special Thanks</h3> <p> To everyone who play-tested DayBreak, asked questions, gave feedback, or just vibed with the story. <br> You helped bring this universe to life. </p> <hr> <p style="margin-top: 40px;"> Thank you for playing. </p> [[Return to Title->The Beginning ]] </div>

[[Zarimane-Exploration]] [[The Mission Begins-Special Forces]]

You wake to silence. No alarms. No movement. Not even the hum of the ship’s systems. The Zariman drifts, half-lit by distant starlight. Dust floats through the air like ash. You don’t remember falling asleep, only the scream, and the boy’s voice echoing in your head: <span class="whisper">“It followed you here.”</span> Something scratches behind the walls. Something alive. You reach for your weapon, but the air feels heavy, like the void itself is pressing down on you. Every sound is too close, every shadow too long. Then, over the comms, a faint whisper crackles through static. <span class="glitch">“Illuminator... can you hear me?”</span> It’s Stohg’s voice. Distorted. Distant. Or maybe it isn’t him at all. <img src="https://static.fanbyte.com/uploads/2022/04/warframe-void-angel-boss-fight.png"width=1000px> [[Running]]

You don’t remember leaving the war room. You don’t remember the shouting, the panic, or the arguments breaking out behind you. All you remember is Amber’s voice echoing in your head as you walked: “If the beacon vanished… There's something out there that didn’t want to be found.” The hangar is louder than usual—engines humming, technicians scrambling, the air thick with tension. Every Illuminator you pass moves with purpose, urgency, fear they’re trying to hide. At the center of the hangar sits the strike-team dropship, its engines dim but trembling with power. The loading ramp lowers with a hiss, steam rolling across the floor. Six slots. Five names glowing blue on the display. Veterans. Killers. Survivors. One slot is blinking. Waiting. For you. Amber stands beside the ramp, arms crossed, eyes fixed on you. There’s no expression on her face, no smile, no approval, no concern, just silent expectation. “Decision time, rookie,” she says. “Step forward… or step aside.” And somewhere in the back of your mind… You feel it. The void watching. Waiting. Your choice will decide if you return. [[Decision Time]]

<div class="cinematic decisionMoment slowpulse fade"> Sweat runs down your forehead as you lock eyes with Amber. You take a slow breath, steadying yourself. <span class="heroGlow rumble">“I’ll go,”</span> you say. “People doubted me since day one at boot camp… but I’ve come too far to stay in the shadows.” You reach for your helmet, and something sharp flashes in your eyes,determination, the kind no one expected from you. Amber notices. She smiles, seeing the potential you’ve kept buried. “Alright,” she says softly. “But understand. This mission is harder than anything even the veterans have faced. Listen to your team, trust your training… and come back in one piece.” </div>  <audio src="heartbeat.mp3" autoplay hidden></audio> <audio src="destiny_style_sting.mp3" autoplay hidden></audio> [[Lift Off]]

<div class="cinematic decisionMoment fade slowpulse"> The moment your boots hit the dropship floor, the room goes dead silent. No greetings. No nods. Just five hardened veterans sizing you up like they’re measuring how long you’ll last. A Titan with a cracked visor leans back in his seat, voice low and unimpressed. <span class="rumble"><b>“So this is the rookie? Hope you don’t die before we land.”</b></span> Across from him, a Hunter sharpens a blade without looking at you. <audio src="knife.mp3" autoplay hidden></audio> <span class="voidPulse">“Relax,”</span> she says, flipping the knife, <span class="voidPulse">“If they die, we loot there gear.”</span> A few of them chuckle under their breath. Then Amber steps inside behind you and the entire mood shifts. She gives the squad a single sharp look. The room freezes. <img src="https://media.dotesports.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/destiny-rising-gwynn.jpg"width=1000px> <span class="heroGlow"><b>“There here because I picked them. Remember that.”</b></span> No one argues. But the silence says everything. You aren’t one of them yet. Not until you prove you deserve that sixth seat. </div> [[Approach]]

The figure hangs in the air, enormous and silent. Silver plates layer its body, and a faint blue aura leaks from within slow, drifting void particles swirling around it like dust caught in starlight. The hum it gives off vibrates through the floor. Low. Wrong. Alive. You tighten your grip on your weapon. Before you even lift it, the creature reacts. <span class="glitch">A flash</span> A beam of void energy tears across the room toward you. <span class="glitch"You throw yourself aside. The blast slams into the wall behind you, erupting with a force that knocks you off your feet and sends you crashing across the floor. The shockwave ripples through your chest, leaving your breath thin and your ears ringing.</span> When the dust settles, the figure is still floating. Still watching. <img src="https://static.fanbyte.com/uploads/2022/04/warframe-void-angel-boss-fight.png"width=1000px> [[Keep Running -> NextScene]] [[Stand and Fight -> FightScene]] [[Try to Hide -> HideScene]]

You stand frozen, every instinct screaming at you to move but your legs refuse. The void creature hovers in front of you, drifting closer with each slow pulse of blue light. You feel the air tighten around your chest, like invisible hands pressing down. Your stogh vibrates weakly at your side. <span class="glitch"><b>—transmission… incom… hold position</b></span> Amber’s voice. Distant. Cracked. Barely there. You try to speak, but the void presses harder, your throat locks, breath trapped. Then The child appears beside the creature. No footsteps. No warning. Just there. They reach out a small hand toward you. And when their fingers touch your arm the entire corridor collapses into white light. A flash. A whisper. <span class="whisper">“…don’t be afraid…”</span> Your vision snaps back as you find yourself standing in a different room of the Zariman. The walls are wrong, curved, smooth, alive. Like the ship is breathing around you. A warm smell hits you next. Food. Fresh. Like someone just finished cooking. There’s a table set for one. Steam rises from the plate. A voice behind you whispers again: <span class="whisper">“…sit. eat. rest…”</span> Your limbs move on their own. [[Distress Signal]]

You drop behind cover, breath sharp and shaking. Your fingers flick through your inventory until a weapon forms in your hands A red-and-black pulse rifle, the barrel glowing with drifting red sparks. Ancient. Powerful. Unstable. <span class="voidPulse">It hums like it remembers a war you’ve never seen.</span> The void creature drifts closer. Slow. Silent. You move. Grenade traps scatter across the floor in clean arcs, bouncing once… twice… The creature glides over them <span class="rumble"><b>BOOM—BOOM—BOOM.</b></span> Void light rips across the walls as the chain of explosions pushes it back. You spring forward, arc energy crackling around your arms, void surging through your chest. Sparks explode off the creature’s silver shell as you clash at close range— arc strikes, void bursts, rifle shots blending into chaos. Minutes blur. Twenty. Thirty. Your arms ache. Your heartbeat pulses like static. Then the creature fractures, thin cracks of blue void leaking from its armor. It tilts its head, like it’s studying you. And without a single sound… It fades into the dark. You drop to one knee, breathing hard, vision throbbing. Then you see him. The child. Standing in the doorway across the hall. Still. Watching. You blink He’s already running. You chase him, footsteps echoing through twisting hallways that don’t match your memory. Lights flicker. The air warps. Reality bends around you like water. And suddenly you’re in a room you’ve never seen. Warm light. A table set neatly with plates. Steam rising from fresh food. A voice whispers behind you: <span class="whisper">“…Sit. Relax.”</span> Your body obeys before your mind can resist. [[Distress Signal]]

You slip into an abandoned room and pull the door shut behind you. The hum of the void fades—but only a little. Your stogh unit vibrates at your hip. A signal. Amber’s voice struggles through static: <span class="glitch"><b>“we’re close… hold your posi”</b></span> Then the transmission drops. Cut off. Jammed. Your stogh flickers again, this time displaying a single message: <b>HELP IS ON THE WAY.</b> You take a shaky breath… and that’s when you see it again. The child. Standing in the doorway across the hall. Silent. Watching. They turn and run deeper into the Zariman. Against every instinct, you follow. The further you walk, the thicker the air becomes, the void pressing in around you like invisible hands. Colors dim. Voices whisper from behind the walls. By the time you catch up, you’re somewhere you don’t remember a room lit warm and soft, like a memory that isn’t yours. It smells like food. Fresh. Cooked. A table is set. Plates arranged neatly. Steam rising. You hear a gentle voice from behind you: <span class="whisper">“…Sit.”</span> Your body moves before your mind does. [[Distress Signal]]

The warm food steams in front of you, smelling real… too real. Your hand hovers over the plate—hesitating. That’s when the shadow behind you shifts. A man steps into the light, hood low, voice rough and calm. <span class="rumble"><b>“Easy there, kid. Food like that? Void wants you comfortable before it eats you.”</b></span> He pulls up a chair and sits across from you like this is the most normal place in the world. <span class="heroGlow"><b>“Name’s Drifter.”</b></span> “Been stuck on this ship longer than I care to admit. Saw your little fight back there. You hold your own.” He nods toward you. Drifter smirks. <span class="voidPulse"><b>“Welcome, ”</b></span> He leans forward, tapping the table with two fingers. <span class="glitch"><b>“You know you’re trapped here, right? All of us are. This place bends time. Bends people.”</b></span> He glances at your stogh, flickering weakly on the table between you. “Your distress signal went out… kind of. Your rescuers? They’re close. Real close. But the void knows they’re coming.” Drifter’s smile fades. <span class="whisper">“You need to move before it finds them.”</span> [[The last stand (Reunion)]]

Void static crawls across the walls as you sprint through the corridor, lungs burning. Your vision flickers,voices whispering, memories warping. The void has been twisting you for so long you barely remember how long you’ve been trapped here. Drifter runs beside you, rifle slung casually. <span class="rumble"><b>“C’mon, Illuminator. Don’t quit on me now. You’re almost home.”</b></span> The void creature screeches behind you, shaking the hull. Then a beam of light cuts through the darkness ahead. Voices. Real voices. Armored footsteps. Drifter grins. “Told ya they’d come.” A full fireteam rounds the corner. Two Titans with shields raised. Hunters dropping cloak like falling stars. And at the front Amber. Her eyes lock onto you instantly. Everything in her face changes, shock, relief, fear, hope all crashing together. <span class="heroGlow"><b>“Illuminator ? Oh my god… you’re alive.”</b></span> The Rookie stiffens beside her, aiming his rifle until Amber lifts a hand. “Stand down. It’s him.” Your knees buckle. Void exhaustion crushes you like gravity. Amber rushes forward, catching you just before you hit the ground. Her hands shake as she stabilizes you. <span class="whisper">“We came for you. I told them you weren’t gone.”</span> The Titans close in, forming a protective circle. The Rookie watches your six. Drifter steps out casually behind you. “Yup. You can thank me later.” Amber glares at him. “What did you do to him, Drifter?” He shrugs. “Kept him alive.” The corridor lights flicker violently a cold pulse rippling through the metal. You feel it first. The void creature is near. <span class="glitch"><b>“It’s coming,”</b></span> you whisper, your voice distorted from void exposure. Amber’s face snaps back into command mode. “Fireteam, FORM UP!” [[The Last Stand (Attack)]]

The dropship rattles as it closes in on the Zariman’s broken silhouette. From the cockpit windows, the ship looks like it’s been sliced open by the void itself— half-floating, half-swallowed by the black hole behind it. Most of the team moves to the front, armor gleaming. The Titans lock formation, shields humming as they brace for boarding. The two Hunters split off, fading into shimmer-light as they cloak, slipping ahead to scout the corridors. You rise from your seat, helmet under your arm, feeling the tension thicken in your chest. A soft chime hits your comms. **Systems transferring: Boarding protocol engaged.** Void distortion bleeds through the air as your ship phases into the Zariman. The doors hiss open. Amber stands in the corridor of the derelict vessel, lit by flickering panels and drifting dust. She stares out at the massive tear splitting the Zariman in half, void light spilling through like a wound in reality. She hears your steps and glances back over her shoulder. A small smile tugs at her mouth. <span class="heroGlow"><b>“Rookie… why’re you hanging back?”</b></span> She steps closer, voice dropping just enough that only you hear it. <span class="whisper">“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you alive.”</span> Then, softer, with a teasing grin: <span class="voidPulse"><b>“Besides… I kinda like having you at my side.”</b></span> She nudges your arm—nothing obvious, nothing anyone else would notice. Just enough to warm your chest and cut through the cold void silence. Then she leans in like she meant to whisper something else but her lips brush your cheek. Barely a touch. She pulls back fast, eyes widening slightly. Was it an accident? Or… did she mean to? Her voice snaps back to mission mode before you can answer the question. “Let’s move. Eyes sharp. Comms up.” Amber turns, leading the squad deeper into the Zariman as shadows twist and ripple around the hull. [[The last stand (Reunion)]]

The corridor bursts into cold blue light as the void creature slides into view— massive, silent, dripping with spiraling energy. The Rookie moves in front of you instantly. Titans slam shields down. Hunters shatter into cloak. Amber stands beside you, rifle raised but one hand still keeping you steady. Drifter whistles. <span class="rumble"><b>“You pissed it off real good, Illuminator.”</b></span> Amber snaps, “Not helping!” The creature opens its void maw space bending around it like liquid. Void energy gathers. A charging blast. Amber turns her head toward you, voice soft despite the chaos. “You hold on to me. I’m not losing you again.” Drifter grabs your arm from the other side. “And I ain’t letting you get swallowed either.” The creature fires. A tidal wave of void energy tears down the corridor shattering metal flipping debris ripping through reality itself. Amber yanks you behind cover. The Rookie dives with you. Drifter throws up a void shield of his own. The blast hits Blue light. Screaming metal. Nothingness. The Zariman dissolves around all of you. [[Credits]]