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Toward the Nest: How to Activate the Skybridge
March 29, 2026 at 01:05 PM
New article: Toward the Nest skybridge activation guide
Toward the Nest is the 69th main mission in Crimson Desert, part of Chapter 5: Guest Unbidden. The quest takes place in the Demeniss region and requires you to activate the Spire of Soaring, ride it up to the Abyss above, and then solve the Crescent Skybridge puzzle before confronting the Crowcaller boss. The puzzles are not clearly explained by the game, so this guide breaks down every step in order.
Detail | Info |
|---|---|
Quest Number | 69 |
Chapter | 5: Guest Unbidden |
Sub-Chapter | Uninvited Guest |
Region | Demeniss |
Prerequisite | Complete Secret at the Church |
Rewards | Blackwing Leather Armor, Blackwing Mask, Tauria Curved Sword |
The Spire of Soaring is located in the northern part of Demeniss. When you reach the main doors, they are broken and cannot be opened from the front. There are two ways to get inside:
Underground entrance: Head off the cliff to the right of the main doors to find a mineshaft entrance. This is the intended route and leads directly to the base of the tower interior.
Exterior climb: Climb the outside of the tower using the protruding platforms until you reach a circular broken window, then drop inside to the wind shaft.
Once inside, do not destroy the blue orbs mounted on the walls. Jump into the center of the wind shaft and activate your glide. The updraft carries you upward automatically to the first puzzle floor.
On the top floor you find a set of rotatable wall panels that control power routing. Hold L1+R1 (PS5) / LB+RB (Xbox) to reveal the power lines running through each panel. Your goal is to rotate the panels so that energy flows continuously from left to right across the entire wall.
Grab each panel with Axiom Force (hold L3) and then rotate it using the right stick. The correct configuration requires rotating each of the four panels one quarter-turn counterclockwise, one click at a time, until all the line segments connect into an unbroken path from the left edge to the right edge.
Work systematically from the bottom-left panel to the right. When the connection is complete, a platform below you rises and carries you to the next floor.
The second floor features a single large circular disc panel instead of individual tiles. The disc has several line segments that need to be aligned so that power enters from both the left and the right sides and exits downward through the middle.
Grab the disc with Axiom Force (hold L3) and rotate it using the right stick. A distinct clicking sound confirms each correct alignment step. Turn the disc approximately half a rotation in either direction until the left, bottom, and right connections are all lit up simultaneously.
Once the disc is correctly aligned, the central elevator platform activates. Step onto the platform before it ascends. If you miss it, use your glide to ride the updraft from the wind shaft up to the platform. The ascent takes roughly two minutes as the platform rises through the tower roof and into the sky.
After the elevator reaches its peak altitude, you arrive at the entrance to the Abyss above Demeniss. Before doing anything else, walk forward and step on the round floor plate ahead of you to activate a fast travel checkpoint. This is strongly recommended: falling from the Crescent Skybridge resets the entire puzzle and returns you to the entry point. Having the fast travel active means you can respawn here immediately rather than riding the elevator again.
The Crescent Skybridge puzzle has two phases: aligning laser orbs to power a central gear, and then repairing two broken power cables. Three cables run to the unpowered central gear, two on the left side and one on the right. Each cable connects to a laser orb that must be aimed at a wall panel gem to restore power.
The large orb directly in front of you when you enter is already correctly aimed. Ignore it. You need to deal with the three orbs above and to the sides.
Turn right from the entry point. Jump upward using three consecutive mid-air Force Palm attacks (R3 three times) to gain enough height to reach the elevated platform at the top. You can also use consecutive Force Palm jumps combined with a glide to cross wider gaps. Be aware that purple flowers growing on some platforms deal damage on contact.
On the upper right, glide across to the first laser orb. Use Axiom Force (hold L3) to grab the center of the orb, then use the D-pad left and right to rotate it. Aim the beam at the gem (round target) inside the square panel on the distant wall. When the beam hits correctly, the orb locks and the corresponding power rings turn blue.
Repeat the same process for the orb on the upper left side. Glide across, grab it with Axiom Force, and rotate it using the D-pad until the beam hits the gem on its corresponding wall panel.
The third orb is accessible from the center of the upper level. Return to the center-most orb position at the top, then fly across to the other side of the structure. Use Force Palm jumps (R3) followed by glide (Square/X) to cross the gap. Align this orb the same way: grab with Axiom Force, rotate with D-pad, aim at the gem target.
When all three orbs are correctly aimed, all four rings on the central structure turn blue and begin rotating. This confirms the laser phase is complete.
With the rings rotating, jump across them to reach the opposite side of the structure. Hold L1+R1 (PS5) / LB+RB (Xbox) to activate your lantern and reveal the cable network. Cables that are working show blue light; damaged cables show yellow.
There are two broken cable sections to repair. One is located mid-area and the other is on the far right side of the structure. Approach each broken section and hold the interact button (Square/X) to reconnect it. Repairing both cables restores power flow to the central gear.
With all cables repaired, climb to the large round wall panel at the far end of the structure. Hang from the panel and strike it once with a Force Palm (R3) while hanging. This triggers a short cutscene and the panel activates.
Climb upward from the panel and approach the objective marker. A pillar emerges from the mechanism. Grab it with Axiom Force (hold L3) and then slowly rotate it using the D-pad left or right. Continue rotating until the pillar glows solid blue, then stop and hold your position. Wait a few seconds and the Skybridge activation sequence plays out.
Once the Skybridge is active, a path of floating platforms opens ahead of you. Follow the path forward. Wind turbines along the route function as launch pads: step into them to be catapulted upward. Use your glide to control your landing after each turbine boost.
At the top of the path, step onto the glowing blue ground platform to be teleported to the final area. Before approaching the large tree at the center, activate the fast travel point nearby. Walking up to the tree immediately triggers the Crowcaller boss fight, so take a moment to prepare.
The Crowcaller is a three-phase boss with a full health bar for each phase. Aggression increases in each phase, so preparation matters.
Bring cooked food, not raw ingredients. Only prepared meals restore health during combat. Grilled meat is a reliable and widely available option. Aim for 100 or more pieces before starting. Meat can be purchased from vendors and cooked at any cooking pot.
Upgrade your equipment. Spend time strengthening your weapons and armor before this fight. Under-leveled gear makes the encounter significantly harder.
Install Abyss Cores. If you have collected Abyss Cores, bring them to the witch to socket them into your weapons and armor. They provide substantial stat boosts and ability augmentations for this area.
Use the leg sweep opener. A roll dodge followed immediately by an unarmed melee attack (Y/Triangle) performs a leg sweep that knocks the Crowcaller off balance. This is one of the most reliable ways to open a combo.
Bleed with stab chains. Stringing together stab attacks builds up bleed damage over time, which continues to drain health even when you are not attacking.
Use pump kicks. Holding Y/Triangle during a combo triggers a pump kick. Incorporating these extends your combo window and deals extra impact damage.
Counter block for openings. A perfectly timed counter block (L1/LB at the moment of impact) staggers the Crowcaller and creates a clear window for a full combo.
Watch for the aerial dive. When the Crowcaller crosses its swords and begins glowing blue, it is about to take to the air and dive down on you. Stop attacking, back away, and prepare to roll dodge the landing strike.
Heal constantly. Press right on the D-pad to consume food. Do not wait until your health is critically low. Heal proactively throughout all three phases.
Action | PS5 | Xbox |
|---|---|---|
Axiom Force (grab / aim orb) | Hold L3 | Hold L3 |
Rotate orb / pillar | D-pad Left / Right | D-pad Left / Right |
Force Palm (attack / jump) | R3 | R3 |
Glide | Square (mid-air) | X (mid-air) |
Reveal power lines / lantern | Hold L1+R1 | Hold LB+RB |
Interact / repair cable | Hold Square | Hold X |
Counter block | L1 | LB |
Heal (consume food) | D-pad Right | D-pad Right |
Unarmed melee (leg sweep) | Triangle (after roll) | Y (after roll) |
Fell off the Crescent Skybridge: The puzzle resets when you fall. If you activated the fast travel plate at the entrance, respawn there and start the orb alignment again. If you did not activate it, you will need to ride the Spire elevator up again.
Rings are not turning blue after aligning an orb: The beam needs to hit the gem (circle) inside the square wall panel precisely. Make small adjustments with the D-pad and look for the beam to land on the circular target rather than the surrounding frame.
Cannot find the broken cables: Hold L1+R1 / LB+RB to activate your lantern. Yellow-lit cable segments are broken; blue ones are intact. Check both the mid-area and the far right side of the platform.
Pillar is not glowing blue when rotating: Rotate very slowly with the D-pad and watch the glow. The correct position is a narrow sweet spot. Once the pillar emits solid blue light, hold completely still and wait for the activation sequence.
Cannot reach the upper orb platforms: Use three consecutive Force Palm attacks (R3, R3, R3) in mid-air to gain height, then immediately activate glide. Avoid touching purple flowers, which interrupt your movement and deal damage.
