Destiny 2 Legacy Triumph Guide: At the Behest of the Empress in 2026

At the Behest of the Empress, an elusive Destiny 2 Triumph tasks Guardians to defeat two elite Nightmares on the Derelict Leviathan.

A legacy Triumph from Destiny 2's Season of the Haunted remains a collector's checkpoint in 2026, and At the Behest of the Empress is still remembered as a simple but elusive seasonal challenge. The objective asks Guardians to defeat two elite Nightmares on the Derelict Leviathan: Au'gur, Devoted of Calus, and Jai'ek, Supplicant of Calus. The Triumph is tied to the seasonal Reaper title, and its in-game description frames the task as a direct confrontation with Calus's devoted servants. In a 2026 landscape shaped by rotating seasonal content, the hunt stands as a reminder that timing can be as important as combat power. Can a single Public Event really decide the pace of a title chase? For many collectors, the answer has been yes.

Where the Nightmare Pair Appears

The route begins at the Castellum Landing Zone. Guardians travel north and take a left turn at the third unlit brazier. The entrance sits between two ornate pillars and beneath a golden statue head of Emperor Calus. The Castellum path is closer to the target than the alternate route through the Pleasure Gardens. The Public Event can be started when a message appears above the player's abilities: 'Empress Caiatl offers support against an approachable threat.' That prompt is the signal to commit.

The same Royal Pools area also hosts the Ritual Under Shadow Triumph, so players often combine goals while waiting. Yet the At the Behest of the Empress event does not occur often. It is easy to miss because other players may start it immediately. Once completed, it can take hours to appear again. Who wants to wait hours for a seasonal spawn? While waiting, Guardians can clear Haunted Alcoves or reload the instance by running to the Castellum and returning to the Royal Pools. Near the main entrance, a blue Chosen symbol appears. Interacting with that symbol starts the desired Public Event.

How the Fight Unfolds

Two large Cabal allies spawn and attack enemies alongside the Guardians. Waves of Scorn continue to appear and must be defeated before the two main targets emerge. Au'gur, Devoted of Calus, and Jai'ek, Supplicant of Calus, spawn simultaneously in the northwest corner of the map. Au'gur is a Cabal Colossus, while Jai'ek is a Scorn Knight. Unlike the confined Nightmares in the Haunted Alcoves, this arena offers plenty of room to move. With Caiatl's reinforcements in the fight, Guardians can make quick work of the pair.

At the Behest of the Empress is earned after each elite Nightmare is defeated. Clearing the Public Event also spawns a loot chest and grants reputation for the Crown of Sorrow. The encounter is not the hardest challenge in Destiny 2, but infrequency makes it a scheduling puzzle. In 2026, legacy seasonal content can rotate or become unavailable, so players should confirm the Triumph is still obtainable in their current build before organizing a run. For those who can access it, the reward is one step closer to the Reaper title.

Quick Reference for Guardians

Detail	Information
Triumph	At the Behest of the Empress
Activity	Public Event on the Derelict Leviathan
Targets	Au'gur, Devoted of Calus; Jai'ek, Supplicant of Calus
Target types	Cabal Colossus; Scorn Knight
Start point	Castellum Landing Zone, north, left at third unlit brazier
Trigger	Blue Chosen symbol near the Royal Pools main entrance
Support	Empress Caiatl's Cabal allies
Rewards	Triumph progress, loot chest, Crown of Sorrow reputation
Title tie-in	Reaper title

2026 Perspective

Destiny 2 remains available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Google Stadia is no longer part of the platform list in 2026. The seasonal structure has moved on since Season of the Haunted, and that changes how new and returning players approach old Triumphs. Some objectives become archive projects rather than live pursuits. Does that make At the Behest of the Empress less relevant? Not for completionists. The challenge still teaches a useful lesson: read the instance, watch for the blue symbol, and do not ignore the spawn window.

For a fireteam, the safest plan is to travel to the Royal Pools, clear nearby Haunted Alcoves while checking for the event message, and reload the instance if the area is quiet. The fight itself rewards mobility and adds control. Caiatl's allies draw attention, Scorn waves fill the arena, and the two Nightmares arrive together. Guardians who defeat both elites earn the Triumph and move closer to the Reaper title. In 2026, that old seasonal chase remains a small but memorable piece of Destiny 2 history. 🎮