How to complete the Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest and find Ghosts

Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest healing ghost
(Image credit: Bungie)

For the Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest, you need to help Micah-10 rescue lost Ghosts across the Pale Heart in exchange for some nice weapon rewards. Alone in the Dark can be repeated as many times as you want in Destiny 2 to help you unlock the Pale Heart weapon patterns. You need to complete it several times anyway to unlock all the possible variations of the special Cyst challenges too. Here's what you need to know about the Alone in the Dark quest in Destiny 2, including where you can find all the lost Ghosts and how Cysts work.

Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest steps explained

Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest information from Micah

(Image credit: Bungie)

Alone in the Dark is a reasonably short quest that has you finding and healing lost Ghosts as part of the Destiny 2 The Final Shape endgame. That means you won't unlock this quest until you've completed The Final Shape campaign, ending with the Destiny 2 Iconoclasm mission, and must also complete the Convalescence: Rootbound, Underbrush, and Greenery quests from Micah-10.

Here are all the quest steps for the Alone in the Dark quest:

  1. Find the Ghost within the search area. Open the Pale Heart map and you'll see a circle near one of the three Pale Heart Lost Sectors. Head inside until you get the "Objective Near" effect and look around for a Ghost lying somewhere. All Ghost six locations are below.
  2. Open Overthrow chests in the location of the Lost Sector you found the Ghost in – either the Landing, Blooming, or Impasse. Just run through Overthrow and open the challenge chests until you get the next quest step. Chests at higher levels of Overthrow are worth more progress.
  3. "Invert" the Cyst. This just means you need to swap the Cyst variant by following the button prompt at the perched Light eagle. Note that you will not always have to do this quest step every time you complete Alone in the Dark.
  4. Complete a Cyst activity. Follow the Light eagle to the entrance to the Cyst, which is barred by Hive runes. Find and shoot the correct runes nearby to unseal the way into the Cyst, then heal the wounded Ghost at the end. I've briefly explained how the Cysts work further down too.
  5. Return to the Arbor of Light in the Lost City Tower. Interact with the Fissure of Light to heal the Ghost you freed.
  6. Get your rewards from Micah-10.

As mentioned, Alone in the Dark is a repeatable quest, so you can complete it over and over to get more rewards. The steps above apply every time you attempt the quest, though obviously the lost Ghost's location differs and so will the required Cyst. You need to complete Alone in the Dark at least five times in total to unlock all the Cyst activity variants too.

Repeating the mission is a good way to increase your Ghost reputation rank and unlock the Pale Heart weapons for crafting. Each completion offers a choice of three Pale Heart weapons – the Bold Endings Hand Cannon, Axial Lacuna Fusion Rifle, and False Idols Sword. The first few times you complete it, you'll get just one of these weapons, but it will also have Deepsight. Subsequent completions will give you a choice between the three weapons with only a chance for them to have Deepsight.

Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark Ghost locations

Here are all the possible locations for lost Ghosts in Alone in the Dark quests in Destiny 2:

  1. Forgotten Deep Lost Sector 1: In a puddle next to a tree in the large room with the statue.

Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest ghost location forgotten deep

(Image credit: Bungie)
  1. Forgotten Deep Lost Sector 2: Next to the massive tree straight ahead of you when you enter the boss room.

Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest ghost location forgotten deep

(Image credit: Bungie)
  1. Blooming Deep Lost Sector 1: Next to a tree after jumping down to a ledge.

Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest ghost location blooming deep

(Image credit: Bungie)
  1. Blooming Deep Lost Sector 2: On top of a tree branch just before reaching the boss room.

Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest ghost location blooming deep

(Image credit: Bungie)
  1. Broken Deep Lost Sector 1: Between two machines on the left after dropping out of a vent.

Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest ghost location broken deep

(Image credit: Bungie)
  1. Broken Deep Lost Sector 2: On top of a walkway in the icy corridor just before the boss room.

Destiny 2 Alone in the Dark quest ghost location broken deep

(Image credit: Bungie)

Destiny 2 Cysts

Destiny 2 The Final Shape cyst aerial ace mission for Alone in the Dark

(Image credit: Bungie)

One of the many challenges and activities in the Pale Heart are the Cysts, which are mini trials sealed in secret areas. For each one, you need to either navigate to the final boss and defeat it or figure out a particular mechanic that is integral to defeating a boss. Once the bosses are dead, heal the Ghost and you'll be done. Within each Cysts, you'll also find glowing enemies which drop Destiny 2 Memory Vestiges: Light when defeated, which you'll need to unlock some of the Destiny 2 Prismatic Fragments. The six Cysts are:

  • Sword Dance (Landing): Use Hive swords to defeat shielded enemies, break crystals, and get through the challenge. Defeat the three Hive Lightbearer bosses at the end to complete it.
  • Searing Light (Blooming): Shoot crystals to stop the fire totem incinerating you and defeat the Knight boss.
  • Aerial Ace (Impasse): Destroy all the Taken blights and kill the Taken Wizard boss but watch out for the lava floor and ceiling.
  • Moth-Infested Cavern (Landing): Defeat the bosses in the cavern but there are exploding moths pretty much everywhere.
  • Slayer Trial (Blooming): Throw elemental orbs at dropped by Hive Lightbearers at the Ogre boss's shield then kill it.
  • Smothering Darkness (Impasse): Destroy all the Taken blights but you can't sprint or use your jump ability, then kill the Taken Knight boss.

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Will Sawyer
Guides Writer

Will Sawyer is a guides writer at 12DOVE who works with the rest of the guides team to give readers great information and advice on the best items, how to complete a particular challenge, or where to go in some of the biggest video games. Will joined the GameRadar+ team in August 2021 and has written about service titles, including Fortnite, Destiny 2, and Warzone, as well as some of the biggest releases like Halo Infinite, Elden Ring, and God of War Ragnarok.