The Traveler

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   Mondstadt Story/Prologue: “The Outlander (Traveler) Who Caught the Wind”: During their travels across the worlds, the Traveler and their twin sibling are confronted by an unknown entity (Asmoday, The Ruler of Space) as they were about to depart. In the ensuing battle, the unknown entity seals off the sibling, before doing the same to the Traveler, sealing their powers and putting both of them in Teyvat.

   The Traveler eventually wakes up after an undisclosed amount of time and proceeds to wander across Teyvat. The Traveler is around Cape Oath when they fish out Paimon from the sea, thus saving her from drowning. Grateful for the rescue, Paimon becomes their travel companion and guide. She suggests they get in contact with The Seven in order to help the Traveler look for their lost sibling.

   Making their way to Starfell Lake, the Traveler touches the Anemo Statue of The Seven and they spot a green dragon heading toward a distant forest.

   Upon pursuing the dragon, the pair spot both the dragon and a stranger, the latter trying to calm the dragon down, but a reaction from the Traveler's newfound powers leads to them alerting the dragon to their presence. The stranger also flees, leaving behind a crimson blood colored teardrop crystal which the Traveler takes.

   Once Paimon and the Traveler leave the forest, the pair are halted by a scout, who introduces herself as the Outrider of the Knights of Favonius, Amber. Amber offers to escort them to Mondstadt, the City of Freedom, after she deals with a Hilichurl camp nearby which the Traveler and Paimon assist with.

   Impressed by their actions at the camp, Amber gifts them a Wind Glider. But after a test flight, the dragon that the Traveler and Paimon had previously sighted, dubbed "Stormterror" by the locals, starts rampaging throughout the region and unleashing multiple wind storms in the process. The Traveler, with the aid of the stranger (albeit unaware of his presence) is able to drive Stormterror off.

   The confrontation between the Traveler and Stormterror catches the eye of the Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius, Kaeya; thus he asks the Outlanders to meet the Acting Grandmaster, Jean, at their primary base of operations. Jean asks them to get a handle on the Ley Line disruptions powering Stormterror from three of the Four Winds' Temples, as prescribed by Lisa, the Knights' Librarian.

   After dealing with the temples, Paimon suggests that they return to the knights' headquarters to see what they should do next.

   “For A Tomorrow Without Tears”: After the Traveler dealt with the Temples, they come back to Mondstadt to report to Jean. They find a masked woman talking to Jean, who suggests they kill the dragon to end the problem. Jean dismisses the woman, stating that she has no respect as she doesn't know that Stormterror is actually Dvalin, one of the Four Winds. Jean then spots the two and explains to them that the woman she spoke to is a Fatui diplomat.

   Regarding the dragon situation, the Traveler remembered the gem they found at the forest earlier, hoping the Knights would know what it is. Lisa tries to study it, but it emits harmful energy towards Vision users, so the Traveler puts it back in their pockets. The Traveler knew the reason, but remains silent as Jean grants the title Honorary Knight to them.

   Paimon had known there was another presence when they found the gem, and subconsciously identified the boy running in the streets as the same person. After tracking down the stranger via his footprints with their Elemental Sight, the stranger sings the song of "Stormterror," identified as Dvalin, and the reason for his rampage. The stranger, Venti, recognizes the Traveler.

   The Traveler takes out the gem, but to their surprise, it is purified. Venti then realizes that the Traveler's powers can assist in saving Dvalin and tells them to meet him at the place where Mondstadt's Hero had ascended to Celestia — the great tree in Windrise. The Traveler arrives at the great tree, but an Eye of the Storm appears and the Traveler is forced to dispatch it first. Venti then explains to the pair that Dvalin is suffering from degradation, which the Abyss Order is taking advantage of. He had tried to cure him earlier, but the Traveler's unexpected arrival ended up poisoning him, although he had recovered by then. Venti then tells them to meet him outside the Favonius Cathedral to get a certain "Holy Lyre der Himmel."

   Entering the Cathedral, Venti asks Sister Gotelinde for the lyre, even revealing his true identity as Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, but Gotelinde is not amused and believes he is insane. Venti then suggests the Traveler ask for it, which they do, but Gotelinde tells them that they need papers signed from the Grand Master, Seneschal, and Community Representative to do so, as it's only used in Ludi Harpastum at the moment.

   The Traveler waits for the guards around the area to drop before sneaking into the vaults to take the lyre. Before they can do so, a Fatui Electro Cicin Mage warps in and takes the lyre, just as a guard enters and spots them. Venti is relaxing outside when he hears Paimon screaming, telling him that they've been busted and need to run. Venti creates wind currents that drop them off near the Angel's Share, where he enters and tells a red-haired man to give them their least conspicuous table. The man is curious but agrees to their request; shortly after, two Knights appear and ask Diluc if he knows where the suspects went. He points them in the wrong direction.

   With the Knights gone, Diluc then orders them down to ask what they were doing. Venti introduces the Traveler to Diluc, who recognizes them as the Honorary Knight, calling it a shame that they had joined the Knights of Favonius. Venti gives a performance to explain the situation to Diluc, who agrees to help them by organizing his contacts and telling them to meet the following night.

   The following night, the pair find that Diluc has contacted Jean; both groups are surprised, but Diluc explains that the Jean before them is just there as the normal Jean, and not as the Acting Grand Master. Jean tells them that she is doing this in private because she has few options to act officially as the Acting Grand Master. She also believes in their cause, as she is aware of Dvalin's past. Diluc, having managed to interrogate some Fatui beforehand, tells them that the lyre is not in the Goth Grand Hotel, but in a stronghold outside the city premises.

   The party manages to acquire the lyre after defeating several enemies, but not before a Fatui Agent threatens that Signora will end them. The lyre is in relatively poor shape however, so they acquire more Teardrop Crystals and purify them to fully restore the lyre. They then head to Starsnatch Cliff to summon Dvalin and purify him. However, an Abyss Mage appears and convinces Dvalin not to trust the group, resulting in Dvalin flying away and the lyre being completely broken.

   “Song of The Dragon and Freedom”: Diluc brings some information regarding the Abyss Order to the group, having encountered and slain one of their operatives before. Venti explains that although he is one of The Seven, his long absences have led him to become the weakest of the group, hence why he needs to rely on his people's help.

   Diluc informs the group that his people have tracked the mage down at the winery. After killing it, they note that it dissipated some special energy in the process. Venti realizes that this energy was what had been severing his connection to Dvalin, who has since resided in some ancient ruins. The energy also allowed him to understand the magic powering the barrier sealing the ruins, and he can dispel it. Jean believes that they will need to kill Dvalin in order to bring peace, but Venti states that they can still achieve their original goal due to the Traveler's ability to purify the Teardrop Crystal.

   After arriving outside Stormterror's Lair, they are attacked by a group of Hilichurls. They manage to repel their attackers, with Jean and Venti noting that hilichurls generally avoid elemental areas. Diluc states that the Abyss Order is manipulating the hilichurls in an attempt to stall them, but it that will not be enough. Venti then dispels the barrier.

   As they navigate the lair and reach the top, Venti realizes they can't get any further, as the ruins are actually part of old Mondstadt, from a time when the tyrant Decarabian still ruled. He refuses to divulge more on the story for the time being. The group notes that there is a light actuator and activate it after some struggle. Venti hopes that they can bring Dvalin back to his senses, and convince him that neither the people of Mondstadt nor Venti himself had betrayed him in the first place. He then uses his powers to imbue the power with Anemo energy.

   The Traveler catches up to Dvalin and manages to purge him of the corrupted energy placed on him by the Abyss Order. Dvalin saves the group, asking Venti why he did not ask him for his protection. Venti states that while he didn't want him to listen to the Abyss Order, he did not necessarily want him to obey Venti, either, and that if he had ordered him to act free, it wouldn't be true freedom. Dvalin then flies off, reassured that no one is after him. Meanwhile, Jean clears up the misunderstanding between the people and Dvalin, who they believed came out of nowhere to attack and disappeared just as quickly.

   After returning to the city, the group is greeted by Amber, who reveals that while they were dealing with Dvalin, she and the other knights repelled a coordinated hilichurl attack on the city. She wondered where Kaeya had gone during the attack, and tells them to meet up with her at Good Hunter. At the tavern, they find Kaeya, who tells them that he was suspicious of the attack and remained in the city while everyone else was fighting at the ancient ruins, intercepting a group of Abyss Order infiltrators and besting them. He learned from the infiltrators that the Abyss Order is united under a single leader. Spotting Amber arriving, he takes his leave, aware that she is still angry at him for apparently abandoning the knights for a drink.

   Amber is upset at Kaeya's supposed lack of work ethics, before asking the Traveler what they intend to do. Paimon tells her that they'll be traveling throughout Teyvat to meet The Seven. Amber wishes them luck on their journey, and that they will always be welcome in Mondstadt. After eating, she remembers that Jean asked for their presence at the Cathedral regarding the Holy Lyre der Himmel.

   The Traveler makes their way to the Cathedral, where they find Venti and Jean waiting for them. Jean introduces them to Barbara, the deaconess of the church, who asks for the lyre. The Traveler gives her a damaged lyre, much to her panic. Venti sighs and repairs the lyre, before Barbara takes it and runs off, intending to never let it out of her sights again. Venti chuckles and states that he simply used some magic to make it look as if it was fixed and runs off. The Traveler pursues him outside, upon which a gust of cold air freezes Venti and Paimon, sending the latter flying away.

   Two Fatui Agents appear and restrain the Traveler, while a lady and two Fatui Cicin Electro Mages enter the scene. The woman calls Venti a "rodent ruler" and continues to taunt Venti; he in turn returns the favor, enraging her; she then plunges her arm into his chest, ripping out his Gnosis. Signora orders her subordinates to quickly flee the scene before the Knights can arrive. One of the two agents backhands the Traveler, knocking them out cold.

   The Traveler comes to sometime later, where Barbara had found the two. Venti came to first, but her healing had no effect on him, and he abruptly left. Jean appears to understand his intentions, but the Traveler decides to keep quiet for her sake. Jean and the Traveler arrive at Windrise, where they find Venti at the great tree and inquire about the Gnosis. Venti reluctantly explains to them what the Gnosis is. He also explains that the woman that attacked them is Signora, the eighth of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers — people who have been given great powers by Snezhnaya's Archon, the Tsaritsa. Paimon realizes that the Tsaritsa is also one of The Seven who the Traveler is looking for.

   Venti then explains more about the Tsaritsa, stating that although the current Seven usually don't get along well, they still respected each other. He is still surprised by the Tsaritsa's actions, but remarks that a "certain catastrophe" five hundred years ago severed their relationship completely. Venti suggests that they head to Liyue to speak with the Geo Archon, stating that he comes down once every year during the Rite of Descension to determine how the nation will progress. He urges them to head there immediately, or they will have to wait another year for the next rite if they miss the Geo Archon.

   Liyue Story/Chapter 1: “Of The Land Amidst Monoliths”: After being informed by Venti that Rex Lapis is coming to Liyue this year to begin the Rite of Descension, the Traveler and Paimon quickly rush to Liyue to meet the Geo Archon before he leaves.

   Arriving at Liyue Harbor, the two just arrive in time for the ceremony. As Ningguang summons Rex Lapis, he appears dead before the entire crowd. She orders the Millelith to apprehend all suspects, the Traveler included because they aren't from Liyue and they were too close to the center. The Traveler attempts to sneak out of the area, but on the way, accidentally steps on some glass and alerts the Millelith of their presence. A group of Millelith soon surround the Traveler, who draws their sword out. Before they can fight, a young Hydro user defeats them. Taking them to safety, the young man introduces himself as "Childe", and asks if they met Signora in Mondstadt. The two realize that Childe is also one of the Harbingers and become wary of him, but Childe insists that he is not here to fight and that he will tell them more when they arrive at Northland Bank.

   Upon making their way to the bank, Childe tells them in order to clear their name, they have to get the word of the adepti before the Millieth does, who are rumored to live at Jueyun Karst. He gives them a sigil to prevent the adepti from harming them if they become hostile.

   At Jueyun Karst, the pair meet with Moon Carver, who notices their sigil and asks what they are doing in the area. The Millelith then arrive, prompting Moon Carver to ask the Traveler to remove them so they can continue speaking. With the guards routed, the Traveler explains that Rex Lapis was assassinated, much to the adepti's rage. Knowing that the Traveler is innocent of the crimes that the Millelith have accused them of, it tells them to seek out Cloud Retainer and Mountain Shaper and the Conqueror of Demons; the former two residing around Jueyun, and the latter in Wangshu Inn.

   The "Conqueror of Demons" Moon Carver was referring to is a young man named Xiao, who appears to be irritated by their presence and leaves. Speaking to the inn's boss, Verr Goldet, she tells them that Xiao is actually an adeptus and enjoys Almond Tofu, leaving the other dish up to them, which they decide to make a Satisfying Salad. She suggests they speak to the chef for the special Almond Tofu. The chef however, is too terrified to create the dish, as a ghost has been haunting the inn. As the pair investigate, Paimon spots the ghost, terrifying the chef even further. With Goldet's advice, the pair follow the ghost, who ends up possessing a decrepit Ruin Hunter. After defeating the Ruin Hunter, the ghost promises to stop haunting the inn if the Traveler continues to play with her. Upon telling the chef of the ghost's promise, he is relieved and creates some Almond Tofu for them.

   With the tofu and salad on hand, they catch up to Xiao. They manage to stop him from leaving by offering him their food, and then tell him about Rex Lapis' death, which shocks him. At Paimon's request, he explains to them that the ghost is an innocent spirit who could not move on, so he asked the innkeeper and boss to take care of her for the time being.

   With one of the three adepti found, the Traveler and Paimon begin their search for Mountain Shaper. Arriving on Mt. Hulao, they find a man begging the adepti to give mercy to him and his brother. Mistaking the two for adepti messengers, he explains to them that they were going up the mountain when his brother became encased in amber. They find his brother and free him from the amber. Mountain Shaper then appears, angered at the Traveler for freeing a "thief" and disturbing its mountain. Showing it the sigil, it then questions them to their presence and learns from them about Rex Lapis' death. It also explains to them that it planted many karst flowers to keep the mountain's tranquility, seeing everyone else as thieves and that those who stepped on the flowers would be encased in amber.

   With the second adeptus found, Cloud Retainer is the last one to be found. Arriving at Mt. Aocang, they find a stone table with food remains, which is meant to be food offered to the adepti. Looking around the area, they place some delicious Matsutake Meat Rolls, Jewelry Soup and Mora Meat on the stone table. Cloud Retainer allows them to enter its residence for the offerings, but will only meet them if they can navigate its domain. They are able to solve the puzzles and meet Cloud Retainer, upon which they explain about Rex Lapis' death to it. Cloud Retainer becomes enraged and vows to destroy Liyue for their crimes, but the Traveler manages to calm it down by countering with a "contract" of sorts with the food they had offered it, which it reluctantly accepts.

   Now with all three adepti found, the Traveler returns to Childe and informs them of all that had transpired, who in turn tells them that the Liyue Qixing are refusing to let anyone see Rex Lapis' body. Paimon accidentally blurts out that they came to visit The Seven, which Childe immediately takes note of. He tells them that he can help them, but it will be some time in order to meet with his contact.

   “Farewell, Archaic Lord”: After returning from Jueyun Karst, the Traveler and Paimon return to the Northland Bank and informed Childe of the adepti. Childe in turn tells them that the Liyue Qixing have hidden the Exuvia, but he has a contact that can get them in. Ekaterina tells them that he is waiting for them at Liuli Pavilion.

   Arriving at the restaurant, Childe introduces the two to Zhongli, a consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. Zhongli states that it is his duty to give Rex Lapis a proper farewell, as the adepti are slowly distancing themselves from the rise of mankind. Because of this role, he is capable of bringing the Traveler to the Exuvia. Although suspicious of Childe's intentions, he does not pry further and states that they must go to buy the needed funeral items, the first one being some Noctilucous Jade, having been provided the mora from Childe.

   The three visit the Jade Mystery and inspect Shitou's samples. Although they only needed one sample of jade, Zhongli inexplicably tries to buy all three. However, Paimon stops him and suggests to re-evaluate the purchase. Zhongli is not bothered, but reveals to them how he can tell high-quality jade based on their Pyro affinity. Returning to Shitou, he reluctantly chips off a small sample from all three of his jade. Although the samples are paper-thin, Zhongli states that they can always reinforce the interior with Hydro. The Traveler recalls the massive cooking pot from the Meaty Tribe in Dadaupa Gorge. The three travel there and use the cooking pot to test the jade samples, fending off the angry tribe due to ruining their food.

   With the third sample proving to be of the highest quality, the three return to Shitou and buy the third jade from him. Shitou then inquires as to why they are buying the jade, upon which Zhongli explains to him of Rex's passing. Saddened by the Geo Archon's death, Shitou sells the jade to them at half price, which the Traveler pays off. They then leave the jade for the jewelsmith to forge.

   The next items on Zhongli's list are some perfumes which are created from flowers. They meet with Bolai and ask for some Silk Flowers. Unsurprisingly, Zhongli does not have any mora on him, but after learning why they are buying the flowers, Bolai gives the flowers to them for free. However, he has no idea how to create the perfume, so he suggests speaking to some women around the city for advice, culminating with the Traveler making some with Ying'er's assistance. With all three perfumes on hand, they return to Zhongli and offer the perfumes to the Statue of The Seven outside the harbor.

   Zhongli then tells them that he needs the Cleansing Bell from Madame Ping, but refuses to go with them under the pretense of having some business to attend to. They find Madame Ping in Yujing Terrace, who tells them that the bell is inside her teapot, which is actually a domain, making them realize that she is one of the adepti. They recover the bell and return to Zhongli.

   With the rite nearing completion, Zhongli heads to Granny Shan and takes the kites he had commissioned. Granny Shan is one of the few who appear to care for Liyue's old traditions and appreciates Zhongli's compliments on how well the kites are made. Zhongli now needs some extra work done, so Childe gives the Traveler a bag of mora to get the needed workers. They negotiate with Tic, Tac and Toe to get the requested services, before returning to Childe. Childe allows them to keep the remaining mora in exchange for some information, offering to leave the vaults at the Northland Bank open in return. Before Paimon could answer, the Traveler reflexively refuses to help him, which upsets Childe. Zhongli then walks in, unaware of the conversation, and states that they need to get some Everlasting Incense from Bubu Pharmacy.

   Arriving at the pharmacy, they are greeted by Qiqi. Learning that they want some Everlasting Incense, she requests their prescription, but they are not using it for medicinal purposes. Qiqi appears to be unaware of the Geo Archon's passing, stating that she will give them some if they help her hunt a cocogoat, which they'll need to use the Guizhong Ballista in order to do so. The three head to Mt. Tianheng and find the disabled ballista. Zhongli recalls that there was a supply post nearby with spare parts, which they raid to repair the ballista. Doing so causes some Treasure Hoarders to attack the group, as they had disabled it in order to loot the surrounding area. They defeat the bandits but soon realize that there is no cocogoat, as the ballista would have detected it.

   Returning to the pharmacy, they tell Qiqi that there is no cocogoat. She then takes out her notebook and realizes that she meant coconut milk, and the Traveler begins explaining how coconut milk is created. A man then appears and thanks them for taking care of Qiqi. Introducing himself as Baizhu, he learns that they want some Everlasting Incense and offers to sell it for three million mora, which they can't afford. The Traveler is forced to go to Childe for aid, who is amused by the story and agrees to pay for the incense and set up a supply of coconut milk for the pharmacy. As the group talks, Childe excuses himself and asks Ekaterina if she had heard of anything useful. She tells him that the Qixing have hidden the Exuvia at the Golden House.

   Zhongli asks the Traveler about their opinion collecting the materials for the rite. Regardless of their response, he tells them to meet him at the Third-Round Knockout, a hole-in-the-wall tavern and he has brought mora to pay for the expenses. Arriving at the tavern, Iron Tongue Tian tells them a story about Ningguang just as a young woman appears, having found the Traveler. The woman introduces herself as Ganyu and that Ningguang has extended them an invitation to the Jade Chamber. Zhongli tells them to go, as such invitations are rare, and that he'll be waiting for them at Dihua Marsh when their business with Ningguang is done.

   “A New Star Approaches”: Having received an invitation from Ningguang to the Jade Chamber through the Liyue Qixing's emissary, Ganyu, the Traveler and Paimon search for a way there at Mt. Tianheng. They initially find a mechanism and use it, but it does not take them as far as they expected. The Traveler then remembers the Guizhong Ballista that Zhongli had repaired while hunting for the non-existent cocogoat. Arriving at the ruins, they find the Millelith standing guard outside. Paimon panics and believes that Ningguang had lured them into a trap, causing a fight.

   The Traveler defeats the Millelith just as a young woman approaches and asks what is going on. Learning that the two "had designs" on the ballista, the Traveler tells her that they were looking for a way to the Jade Chamber. The woman then introduces herself as Keqing and realizes that they are Ningguang's guests. She tells them that the Millelith are here because someone had magically repaired the ballista in a single day, when it had been standing in disrepair for a long time. Keqing explains how to access the Jade Chamber and departs.

   Paimon then remembers that they still need to give a gift to Ningguang per tradition, and suggests making a tasty slime snack. The Traveler obtains the ingredients and saves a man from Treasure Hoarders. Grateful for the rescue, he sends word back to his boss to allow them to take some items for free. With a gift now in hand, they head to Yuehai Pavilion to ascend to the Jade Chamber, where they are greeted by Ningguang. She gracefully accepts Paimon's gift and offers one in return, before speaking at length about various subjects, including deities, archons, and the Fatui. Paimon suggests looking at the board and finds a special paper, heading to some ruins where they find evidence that the Fatui were researching the Sigils of Permission.

   With the business at the Jade Palace wrapped up, they meet up with Zhongli at Dihua Marsh to continue preparing for the Rite of Parting. Zhongli tells them that they need wild Glaze Lilies. While searching for the flowers, they encounter Ganyu again and discover that she is one of the adepti, having watched over Liyue Harbor since its inception 3,700 years ago. After hearing her thoughts about Rex Lapis' passing, they return to Liyue Harbor, only to find it in chaos.

   The adepti and Qixing have finally confronted each other directly, and at the same time, Ningguang has started cracking down on the Fatui. Zhongli learns from Felix that the Millelith have begun questioning the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor due to their ties with the Fatui, prompting Zhongli to leave the Traveler to assist Hu Tao, but not before telling them to look for Childe.

   Realizing he must have gone to the Golden House in pursuit of the Exuvia's corpse and the Gnosis amidst the chaos, the Traveler heads there and duels him. During the battle, Childe manages to get close to the Exuvia and plunges his hand into its chest, only to come up empty-handed. Childe mistakenly believes they have the Gnosis and demands they relinquish it to him; as the Traveler does not have it, he take it as a refusal and prepares to fight them. During the fight, the Traveler manages to force him to unleash his Delusion and then his Foul Legacy Transformation technique. Despite his advantages, he is ultimately bested and returns to normal. He remarks on how he only realized just now it was impossible for them to have the Gnosis and how Signora's report on them was completely off, but does not inquire into the latter further.

   Switching to his backup plan, despite his distaste for it due to involving innocent bystanders, Childe releases the Sigils of Permission the Fatui replicated to summon Osial, an ancient god that Rex Lapis had sealed underneath Guyun Stone Forest. In the face of this new threat, the adepti and Qixing put aside their differences to fight the common enemy.

   To fight Osial, the group uses Guizhong Ballistas replicated by Ningguang, with Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper and Moon Carver manning them. As they do so, portals open and release Fatui subordinates onto the platform, intent on destroying the ballistas. Keqing leads the Millelith, while the Traveler is blessed by Xiao, Ganyu and Madame Ping. They manage to repel the Fatui assault, upon which the three adepti on the ballistas fire a powerful shot at Osial, but it does not flinch and destroys them and the platform in retaliation. Xiao narrowly saves the Traveler in the process. With no other choice, Ningguang decides to sacrifice her Jade Chamber, using its massive weight to crush the ancient god into the bottom of the ocean.

   With the threat dealt with, the adepti and Qixing settle their differences and the Rite of Parting proceeds as planned. However, this still leaves one question; where is the Geo Archon? The Traveler seeks out Zhongli and finds him at Northland Bank, speaking to none other than Signora and Childe. He reveals himself as not only the Geo Archon but also the one who instigated the entire series of events, starting with his supposed assassination at the Rite of Descension, as a test to see whether Liyue could continue without him. In exchange for a yet-unknown ultimate goal, he forged the "contract to end all contracts" with the Tsaritsa; satisfied with the outcome, he hands his Gnosis to Signora. The two Harbingers and former Archon soon leave the bank.

   Sometime later, the Qixing host the Rite of Parting, which the Traveler attends as they overhear rumors about the battle against Osial, the Fatui's involvement, and hears the official story the Qixing came up with to explain Morax's demise. Keqing, grateful for the Traveler's assistance in stopping Osial, asks them what they would like as a reward; to her surprise, they simply ask to help put up missing posters for their missing sibling. After talking to several attendees, they speak to Zhongli about Liyue's future. Zhongli, aware of the Traveler's plans, tells them that the next nation, Inazuma, has been sealed off and its archon, "Baal", has issued a Vision Hunt Decree, surmising that his "death" will cause her to advance her plans even further. He tells the Traveler that although the nation may be shut off for the time being, they should not give up and try to find a way in.

   Prelude: “Bough Keeper: Dainsleif”: Katheryne: Traveler, please, over here. Katheryne: It has been a while since you joined the Adventurers' Guild. Are your adventures going smoothly? Icon Dialogue Talk White I'm recruiting new allies... Icon Dialogue Talk White More companions would be nice... Katheryne: Hmm... is that so? Apart from your own skills, reliable teammates are also indispensable when adventuring. Katheryne: Another person to count on is always good, after all. But recruiting such dependable companions is no easy matter, is it? Paimon: Yup, and it's even harder to get a guide as good as Paimon. Katheryne: Ah, yes, I do have some information that may be of help to you... Katheryne: Let me consult our records... Ah, there it is. There's been a certain blond stranger who arrived in Mondstadt lately, dressed in the most unusual clothes. Paimon: Blond... dresses all funny... It feels like Paimon's heard this one before... Paimon: W—wait— do you mean... Icon Dialogue Talk White Could it be...? Paimon: Does that stranger's face look... anything like (‍his‍/‍hers‍)!? Katheryne: Hmm? Like the Honorary Knight's? No, they couldn't look more different. This stranger is a very tall man, and even has an eyepatch... Icon Dialogue Talk White So, just some distant relative of Kaeya's, then... Paimon: Seriously? How does this have anything to do with Kaeya? Eyepatches can't prove that you're related, anyway! Katheryne: That stranger declined the Guild's invitation, so I can't say that I know anything about the relationship between him and Mr. Kaeya. Katheryne: Nonetheless, you can look for him if you're interested. Perhaps he might accept your commission instead. Katheryne: After all, it is not uncommon for some adventurers to not want to be limited by the Guild, but be happy to accept a fellow adventurer's requests. Katheryne: And should this stranger be a strong adventurer indeed, he would certainly be a big help on your journey. Icon Dialogue Talk White But if he's already rejected the Guild... Icon Dialogue Talk White Sounds like a tough customer... Katheryne: Please don't talk down on yourself like that. You are the Honorary Knight of the Knights of Favonius, after all. Katheryne: Your deeds are the stuff of song for all the bards in the city even now. Icon Dialogue Talk White Well, alright then. About that stranger... Katheryne: Well, as to further news about him... You may want to ask Mr. Lawrence. Katheryne: He stands guard at the city gate, so he may know something about that stranger. Katheryne: I wish you every success, adventurer. (Ask Lawrence about the stranger) Lawrence: Ah, Honorary Knight. Is something the matter? Icon Dialogue Talk White So, I'm looking for a stranger with an eyepatch... Lawrence: A stranger with an eyepatch? Hmm... let me think. Oh yeah. I remember seeing someone like that. A blond stranger dressed in unusual garb. Lawrence: He was wandering all over Mondstadt at first, which I found rather suspicious, so I decided to keep an eye on him for a while. Lawrence: I lost him pretty quickly... Still, I didn't think that this was such a huge matter that we needed our Outrider to pursue him by air. Lawrence: As long as Master Jean is here, there's nothing to fear from some suspicious unusual-looking person. Paimon: That might be true, but if it were up to Jean, she'd take this way more seriously. Lawrence: Haha, that is true. But on the other hand, knowing that Master Jean may overreact to the situation is all the more reason to not tell her, no? Lawrence: Anyways... Oh, yeah! He was at Wagner's smithy for a while before I tried tailin' him. He might have said something to Wagner. Lawrence: You should go ask, him. Maybe he has more news about our stranger. (Talk to Lawrence again, optional) Lawrence: Huh... I wonder what trouble this stranger brings with him... (Ask Wagner about the stranger) Wagner: What? You need something? Icon Dialogue Talk White So, I'm looking for a stranger with an eyepatch... Wagner: I remember him. He showed up a few days ago, asking to buy a bunch of forging materials. Wagner: Can't say I've heard of any of the materials he mentioned, though. Wagner: He then had a look at the weapons in my shop before leaving. I've heard that he can be found drinking at the Angel's Share. Wagner: If the Knights or the Guild want to get a hold of him, that's the only place to be, haha. Paimon: The Angel's Share? Well, Master Diluc probably has his eye on that stranger too, then. Paimon: Anyway, let's go to the Angel's Share and have a look. (Talk to Wagner again, optional) Wagner: Do those forging materials even exist? (Ask Charles about the stranger) Charles: What will it be, grape juice or apple cider? Icon Dialogue Talk White Another day, another lack of alcoholic options... Paimon: Hey Charles, have you seen a blond stranger who wears an eyepatch around here by any chance? Charles: That I have. He comes here every night — just to drink, though. Doesn't order anything else. Charles: He even sometimes mixes his own drinks after he orders them. Charles: I don't know anything else about him, but from his selections and mixes, I'd say that he's quite the connoisseur. Paimon: And what's Master Diluc's opinion? Charles: Why, I just gave it to you — "quite the connoisseur." Paimon: Investigating everything as always — guess that's Diluc for you... Charles: If you're looking for that gentleman, he ordered some new bottle of wine in advance yesterday, so he should be here today, too. Charles: There's too many raucous patrons on the first floor, so if you want to wait, best to go to the second. Charles: That customer will most likely be here tonight. You can wait on the second floor until he arrives. … (Charles greets the blond stranger as he enters the tavern) Charles: Ah, welcome sir. The wine that you previously ordered is here. Paimon: He's really here!? Let's go downstairs and have a look. (Go to the first floor of the tavern and find the stranger) ???: ... Traveler: Hi, I'm an adventurer with the Adventurers' Guild. ???: ... Icon Dialogue Talk White How do you do? I'm an Honorary Knight of Favonius... Paimon: Wow, he's got no intention of paying us any mind, huh... Traveler: So, uh, I'm a traveler... ???: A traveler... you say? Hmph. Why are you traveling? Traveler: I'm looking for my lost relative. ???: ... ???: Well, that's as good a reason as any... Sit down over there, then. Paimon: So... guess we've broken the ice... What a weird guy. ???: Hmm. That little one beside you... Traveler: My best chum. Paimon: Uh-huh, we're the best of friends! ???: It's indeed a good thing to have someone accompany you on your travels. Dainsleif: My name's Dainsleif. I suppose you have some business with me? Icon Dialogue Talk White Well, I was hoping to invite you to adventure with us... Dainsleif: Sure. Traveler: ...Huh? Paimon: (And he was so cold just a moment before... Paimon's got a baaaad feeling about this!) Dainsleif: But I will require advance payment. Traveler: P—payment, you say... Dainsleif: 500 Mora, and three answered questions. Dainsleif: The 500 is a one-time fee, and we'll settle the questions in a moment. Traveler: That's... it? Dainsleif: That's it. Paimon: Well, now Paimon's got a really bad feeling. That kind of compensation can't be right... Traveler: Well, here's the 500 Mora... Dainsleif: Ah, thank you. Now, as for my questions, I'd like you to answer them here and now... Traveler: Do I need to answer them all correctly? Dainsleif: The answer to a question says nothing about right and wrong. Only about differences in attitude. Dainsleif: I only wish to know what your choices are. You need only answer. Traveler: Well, alright then. Dainsleif: Question one. Dainsleif: The crisis Mondstadt faced was resolved by an alliance between yourself and that... Anemo Archon who calls himself Venti. Who, in your view, was the key to ending that crisis? Traveler: How did you know that Venti is...!? Dainsleif: I know everything that I should. Dainsleif: Haha... Well...? Answer the question. Traveler: The unity of Mondstadt's people gave us the victory. Dainsleif: Is that your answer? Hm... I see. Dainsleif: Question number two. Dainsleif: Rex Lapis, who has defended Liyue Harbor for millennia on end, used his Gnosis to lay down a Contract to End All Contracts, of which the stipulations are still unknown. Dainsleif: Who do you think will defend Liyue Harbor in the future, now that they've lost their deity? Traveler: Everyone in Liyue Harbor. Dainsleif: So that's your answer... I see. Dainsleif: Now for my final question. Dainsleif: This world has people who gained Visions, and those who did not. Dainsleif: Which of the two do you think hold more importance in the eyes of the gods? Icon Dialogue Talk White Those with Visions. Icon Dialogue Talk White Those without Visions. Icon Dialogue Talk White Perhaps... none of them do. Dainsleif: So... this is your answer, then... I understand. (If the player picked the third option at least twice) Dainsleif: As I thought... you really are similar to (‍her‍/‍him‍). (Otherwise) Dainsleif: It seems that you're different from her‍/‍him‍... Traveler: What do you mean, "him"? Dainsleif: ... Dainsleif: I'll take that 500 Mora... and now I also understand your views on this world. As we agreed, you may now commission me. Dainsleif: That said, I only take commissions related to the Abyss Order. Dainsleif: Like you, I am currently on a journey. You intend to find your sibling, while I wish to oppose the Abyss. Traveler: Well, I have met some Abyss Mages in the past... Dainsleif: Ugh... Those creatures that serve the Abyss are the fangs and claws by which the Order spreads chaos in this world. Dainsleif: I have come to Mondstadt this time while on the trail of an Abyss Herald... Paimon: An Abyss Herald? Dainsleif: An even more twisted Abyssal being, one that commands the Abyss Mages. Traveler: Come to think of it, since the Stormterror incident ended, we haven't... Paimon: Ooh, that's right! We've just been fighting against the Fatui in Liyue, who are human too... Paimon: We haven't encountered the non-human Abyss Order at all. Dainsleif: There's some reason behind that, I'm afraid. Dainsleif: It's possible that they may have been under orders to avoid your path. Paimon: That does sound pretty dangerous... Maybe they're looking for a better time to ambush us or something... Traveler: I'll defeat them. Paimon: Uh-huh! We're super-duper strong! Dainsleif: (That manner... it's just like his.) Dainsleif: Well then, let's go see for ourselves, shall we? According to the leads I have on hand, the Abyss Order has re-infiltrated the Temple of the Falcon. Dainsleif: Let's meet up at the temple. Perhaps your questions about the Abyss will be answered there. Dainsleif: This abandoned temple does bear some marks of the Abyss. Dainsleif: The Falcon of the West... though it can soar in the wind, it ultimately does naught but hover under the light of the gods... Traveler: What are you talking about? Dainsleif: Mm? Oh, it's nothing. Let's head inside. (After entering the Abyssal Traces domain) Dainsleif: The scent of the Abyss is getting stronger. It's not far now. Paimon: Paimon wonders what the Abyss Heralds look like. Do they look something like the Abyss Mages? Dainsleif: Let's head further in first. If we do see that creature, that'll spare me the explanation either way. (After clearing the Abyssal Traces domain) Dainsleif: Just a few Abyss Mages? Seems like that Herald might have already left. Traveler: Could you tell me more about the Abyss Order? Dainsleif: The Abyss... Dainsleif: It is chaos, and it is also destruction. It is a morass of inconceivable madness that encroaches upon this world's very foundations. Dainsleif: That... is why even the Dragon of the East, a servant of a deity, was unable to resist its corrosive powers. Dainsleif: And the creatures of the Abyss desire nothing less than the overthrow of a world ruled by the archons. Paimon: You seem to know a lot about the Abyss, Dain. Dainsleif: Haha, well, we do have... some history. Dainsleif: I suppose that's as far as chit-chat goes. We should head to Wolvendom. Dainsleif: Judging by the traces I'm following, their next appearance my be within the territory of that old wolf. Dainsleif: Perhaps we may find our Abyss Herald there. … (After clearing the Abyssal Traces domain) Dainsleif: Just a few Abyss Mages? Seems like that Herald might have already left. Traveler: Could you tell me more about the Abyss Order? Dainsleif: The Abyss... Dainsleif: It is chaos, and it is also destruction. It is a morass of inconceivable madness that encroaches upon this world's very foundations. Dainsleif: That... is why even the Dragon of the East, a servant of a deity, was unable to resist its corrosive powers. Dainsleif: And the creatures of the Abyss desire nothing less than the overthrow of a world ruled by the archons. Paimon: You seem to know a lot about the Abyss, Dain. Dainsleif: Haha, well, we do have... some history. Dainsleif: I suppose that's as far as chit-chat goes. We should head to Wolvendom. Dainsleif: Judging by the traces I'm following, their next appearance my be within the territory of that old wolf. Dainsleif: Perhaps we may find our Abyss Herald there.

   (Enter Wolvendom) Paimon: Well, we're in Wolvendom now. Think Dain's waiting for us up ahead? Paimon: We should meet up with him quick, in case the wolves decide they don't like him. (Talk to Dainsleif) Dainsleif: Lord of Wolvendom, Great Wolf King of the North... Dainsleif: Sharp of fang and keen of claw, and yet dwelling here only... Traveler: You know that wolf? Dainsleif: No, nor does it know me. Dainsleif: I only know these things because a previous traveling companion of mine once wanted to hear its story. Dainsleif: Alright, let's go see if that Abyss Herald has stopped by here. Paimon: But where do we begin? ...Hmm, are you standing here because of these strange bonfires, Dain? Dainsleif: Indeed. See that, floating above the flames? It's an Abyssal spell. Dainsleif: Knowing what I do of the Order's habits, they've probably left similar marks behind elsewhere. Let's have a look nearby. Dainsleif: So, their reach extends here, too... Let's have a closer look. (Approach the first bonfire) Paimon: Do you think that those monsters by the bonfire are under the Abyss Order's control? Looks kinda scary... Let's beat 'em up first. (After defeating the enemies) Paimon: Phew! That's that. Let's go check out that bonfire. (Investigate the first bonfire) Paimon: Looks like this bonfire's also got something to do with the Abyss... (Approach the second bonfire) Paimon: And there's another one of those bonfire-spells! Paimon: Looks like the Abyss really has been around here... (Investigate the second bonfire) Paimon: Yikes! Where did these monsters pop out from? Let's clear them out, and quick! (Talk to Dainsleif after investigating both bonfires) Dainsleif: Have you finished searching? Icon Dialogue Talk White We found lots of signs of the Abyss Order... Dainsleif: I searched around these parts and found some signs myself. Dainsleif: But they were left behind by Abyss Mages, and there was no deeper Abyssal power to them. Dainsleif: It seems that even an Abyss Herald would not wish to make trouble with the Wolf King of the North. Dainsleif: We should leave as well. If there's anything praiseworthy about that old wolf, it's his territorial nature. Paimon: But now we're out of leads. Are we going to have to give up? Dainsleif: No, there is one more place we can go. Dainsleif: Let's get a move on, then. I'll wait for you at Stormterror's Lair. … Dainsleif: I've heard about what happened to you during Mondstadt's crisis. When you came, this place was known as Stormterror's Lair. Dainsleif: But I suppose that this place is more "lair" than "Stormterror" at this point. Dainsleif: In fact, if my memory serves, this ruin has had largely nothing to do with that dragon for a long time. Dainsleif: The first time I laid eyes upon the ruins of Old Mondstadt, the Dragon of the East had yet to fall, much less come to nest in this place. Paimon: Huh? But Paimon remembers that Dvalin first got into trouble hundreds of years ago... Dainsleif: Don't think too much about it. Dainsleif: Do you remember the Light Actuators that once sealed this ruin? Dainsleif: If the Abyss Order is interested in this location, then they will not neglect those mechanisms. Dainsleif: Let's go see what the situation is at those Light Actuators. (Go deeper into Stormterror's Lair) Paimon: Look, there are lots of monsters gathered over there! (After defeating the enemies) Paimon: So in the end, we still couldn't find that Abyss Herald. Bummer. Traveler: It is quite a shame. Dainsleif: I wouldn't call not having to gaze upon such a creature a "shame," exactly. Still, I do believe that you will come across one eventually. Paimon: N—No... You're right. If it's a really powerful monster, it would be best to go around it... Dainsleif: sigh How good it would be if all perils one encounters in their journeys could simply be solved by going around them. Traveler: You seem to be familiar with journeys. Dainsleif: Once upon a time, yes... I simply have the experience from adventuring together with that traveling companion. Paimon: Uh, you know, Dain, you keep talking about that person this, and that person that... Paimon: Where are they now, anyway? Dainsleif: He... sigh Dainsleif: No longer travels. Dainsleif: I'm afraid that traveling can be... too exhausting at times. Paimon: Oh, is that how it is... Well, why are you traveling alone, then? Dainsleif: I... still have some things left unfinished. Once they are done, I too will return home to rest. Paimon: Yup, and it's good to have a home to come back to, isn't it? We camp out a lot when we travel. Paimon: Hey Traveler, once you find your sibling, we should find a place to stay too, shouldn't we? Paimon: Hmm... Mondstadt's Fisherman's Toast is pretty tasty, but Liyue's Wanmin Restaurant is great too... Paimon: Eh, either way, we should settle down in a place where there's good food! Traveler: Getting a bit ahead of ourselves, I think... Dainsleif: Home... Dainsleif: Well, it won't be too late to think about where you stay once your journey reaches its end. Dainsleif: While you're still traveling, you should... (The Traveler's eyes widen, and they spin to look up at the cliff behind them) Traveler: ...I sense something familiar. On that cliff. Paimon: Eh? What's familiar? Traveler: I felt it for a moment the previous time we came here, too... Dainsleif: A familiar feeling, you say? It could be someone you know well, or perhaps a monster. Traveler: Could it be... the Abyss? Dainsleif: Whichever it is, we should see it for ourselves, and thus see clearly. Dainsleif: We can reach the top of that cliff from over there. Let's go. (Catch up to Dainsleif) Paimon: Dain moves really fast, doesn't he... Paimon: Let's use that wind current nearby to catch up. (Talk to Dainsleif) Dainsleif: Can you still sense that familiar feeling that you spoke of earlier? Traveler: It's nearby. Paimon: But... it doesn't feel like there's anything around here. No monsters, no people, nothing. Dainsleif: Indeed, there doesn't seem to be anything strange about this place. It doesn't look any different from the last time I was here... Traveler: "Last time," you say? Dainsleif: My traveling companion brought me here on our previous journey. Paimon: So, Dain, what about you? What's your favorite place? Dainsleif: Me? I... no longer remember. Dainsleif: I merely followed my traveling companion around on that journey. That's all there was to it. Dainsleif: ...Hmm? (Follow Dainsleif) Dainsleif: A Ruin Guard's footprint... A Ruin Guard was wandering around here? Dainsleif: No peace to be found, even for a single dandelion... (Dainsleif stops in front of a trampled dandelion) … (Go and examine the dandelion) (The Traveler remembers their encounter with the Unknown God) Paimon: What's gotten into you? You were just spacing out! Traveler: I... could feel him. Paimon: Eh? You mean your brother? Paimon: But, how could that be... You only touched that dandelion for a second! Traveler: Yes, the moment I touched it... Dainsleif: ... Dainsleif: Perhaps that dandelion bears some sort of "scent" that only you recognize. Dainsleif: As for why... has it perhaps experienced something related to you? Paimon: Uh, you're saying some real confusing stuff. Paimon doesn't get it at all... Traveler: Regardless, I have to get to the bottom of th—! Dainsleif: Do not rush. Dainsleif: Vexation and anxiety are the enemy of rational thought. Your journey has only just begun, has it not? Dainsleif: At least you now know that (‍she‍/‍he‍) is still on this world. Dainsleif: At this time, the most important thing is the journey to find him itself. Traveler: And I will find him. Dainsleif: Yes, and this is something you must keep in mind as the meaning behind your journey. Dainsleif: May your find your kin at the end of that journey. Well then, let us part ways here for now. Paimon: Eh? You're leaving? Already? Dainsleif: Only for now. Don't worry, we will meet again. Dainsleif: After all... I did take 500 Mora... and those three answers you gave me.

   “We Will Be Reunited”: After their brief travel with Dainsleif, the Traveler and Paimon head to the Adventurers' Guild Liyue branch, where they find Ganyu and Lan. Ganyu explains that the Treasure Hoarders are attempting a heist on the Abyss Order and came to the Guild to post a commission as the Qixing are too busy, so the Traveler accepts it.

   Heading to the ruins, they make their way inside and find a Defiled Statue of Barbatos hanging upside down, along with the deceased Grand Thief. The area starts shaking soon after, causing Paimon to panic and tell the Traveler to flee. As they near the end, an Abyss Herald intercepts them. After a brief scuffle, the Herald teleports away.

   A Herald Without Adherents Outside the ruins, they find Dainsleif, who is surprised to see them. The Traveler then tells him about the inverted statue and the deceased thief. Dainsleif had never heard of an inverted statue before, but due to the Traveler's description of it, knows that it is tied to the Abyss Order in some way. He then proposes to catch up to the Abyss Order, so they find several groups around Jueyun Karst. After defeating them, Dainsleif begins talking about Khaenri'ah, upon which part of the Traveler's memory regarding the fallen nation returns.

   Dainsleif talks more about Khaenri'ah, explaining that it was a nation without gods; not because they were killed, or that they abandoned it, but because it never had one in the first place; human civilization flourished at a very advanced pace; but around five centuries ago, that nation was destroyed by gods. Dainsleif reveals that the Ruin Guards are just the modern names: they were originally called Field Tillers, powerful mortal weapons, and after the destruction of Khaenri'ah they wandered aimlessly spreading throughout all of Teyvat.

   After defeating more Abyss Mages, they find a talisman, which Dainsleif begins to translate. It is revealed that the first phase of the Abyss Order's plan is about Osial, who the Traveler had fought along with the Liyue Qixing and the adepti a while ago. The Abyss Order is planning to attach Osial's limbs to the Defiled Statue, and use the eye of the first Field Tiller in place of the orb that the Statues of The Seven normally hold, to construct a mechanized god.

   Dishonorable Trial The Traveler then suggests heading to the Favonius Cathedral to get some information. Dainsleif agrees, but reminds the Traveler not to speak of the missing statue, and he waits outside. Inside, the Traveler finds Barbara, who tells them that they did indeed have one of their statues missing. She also tells them about the "Tyrant's Final Fury", a strange phenomenon in that people who approached Old Mondstadt were attacked by missiles for about a year before they stopped.

   Rosaria then comes in and informs the pair that the Abyss Order is attacking Wolvendom. The Traveler informs Dainsleif of this and they make their way there, where he insists they find Boreas and ask for more information. Arriving at the site where they first met Boreas, they find the Herald once more subjecting him to a corrupting ritual. The Traveler interrupts the ritual and the Herald flees once more.

   Boreas and Razor thank them for the timely rescue. The Traveler then asks Boreas about the Field Tiller. Boreas is not interested in the name, but does tell them that a strange machine entered his territory long ago. Taking the intruder as a challenge, he fought and damaged the machine, which fled the area soon after.

   A Soul Set Apart The Traveler and Paimon return to Dainsleif and inform them of Boreas' account. With his and Barbara's information, they conclude that the Field Tiller is the machine tied to the Tyrant's Final Fury. Paimon then realizes that it must be the Weird Statue in Stormterror's Lair.

   Arriving at the domed building, they find the Field Tiller and Dainsleif concludes that it is the one the Abyss Order is seeking. Using his own methods, he extracts its eye out and takes custody of it. To ensure that the Abyss Order cannot restart their plan, he also suggests to destroy the Defiled Statue.

   Returning to the ruins once more, Dainsleif senses the Herald, who attacks them with some mages. As the Herald clashes with the Traveler, it realizes that they are too strong and tries to flee in another portal, but is stopped by Dainsleif, who uses magic to put it into a chokehold. However, he is stopped by a shockwave from someone's sword.

   When the smoke clears out, the Traveler is shocked because the person who interrupted the attack is none other than their sibling. The sibling asks the Traveler why they are with Dainsleif; surprisingly enough, Dainsleif also knows them. The sibling reveals that Dainsleif is the Twilight Sword, one of the royal guards from Khaenri'ah, and he had failed to protect it, being laid upon a curse of immortality and forced to watch his people turn into monsters.

   Although the Traveler insists that the sibling go home with them together, the sibling refuses because they have to fulfill the goal of the Abyss Order, or their war with destiny will not end. They tell them that they will see the truth about the world in their travels, which they had already done. As the Herald conjures a portal, the sibling leaves alongside them. Dainsleif dashes into the portal, with the Traveler trying to follow suit, but it closes on them before they could enter, leaving them depressed.

   As they try to not be depressed about the events, Paimon cheers them back up, telling them that they have some useful information and that they need to keep in mind about Dainsleif as they prepare to go for Inazuma. They recount the events happened so far, and Paimon tells the Traveler to prove their sibling what they're made of and the resolve to travel around Teyvat to discover the truth.

   Nod-Krai Story/Chapter 6: “Prelude: The Journey Home”: Flamelets At the "Flower-Feather Clan", Ifa finishes examining a Qucusaurus brought to him by Chasca. As the Traveler and Paimon arrive while they still struggling after the previous revelations of their sibling, Chasca explains to them that Secret Source Automatons have been acting up recently and attacking everyone nearby. The Traveler offers to assist, and Chasca allows them to do so despite telling them that they don't need to since they were able to fend off the Abyss from Natlan during the war. Earlier, a strange woman finds herself washed ashore on the shores of Natlan, claiming that she has to find "them," with "them" being soon revealed to be the Traveler and Paimon before going home. The four arrive at the shore and find the unconscious woman surrounded by two Secret Source Automatons, who they quickly dispatch. As Ifa takes a look at the woman, they quickly discover that the woman is actually a machine, wondering if it was a new model of automaton. The mysterious woman then calls out for the Traveler and Paimon, surprising them. Ifa then notices an small item on the ground and picks it up, where a crude representation of the Traveler and Paimon (as a balloon) is marked on it, much to the latter's ire. Ifa soon realizes that the item is actually a cryptex encoded with a message. Chasca suggests opening it with their guns, but Ifa is against the decision, believing that there might be a self-destruct mechanism in it. Thus, they decide to pay a visit to Xilonen as a mysterious man observes them from above. The group makes their way to Xilonen's workshop at the "Children of Echoes". Chasca is surprised to see Xilonen up, believing she had been taking a nap. Xilonen is not pleased with Chasca's arrival, having just handled an issue with Mavuikaregarding the automatons and believes they are here for the same issue. She then notices the mysterious woman and realizes she's an automaton. Chasca hands her the cryptex. Xilonen looks at it, discovering material from numerous nations cobbled together, yet its interior was extremely intricate. The Traveler asks if she could crack it, but Xilonen is unsure as she had not handled several material from numerous nations at once, and disassembling it could damage the components. Chasca then asks if they could wake the woman up, but Xilonen is unable to, as while the woman's core is from the Secret Source, the other materials are not native to Natlan. Despite this, she tries to do so, and the woman wakes up after recalling a voice telling her to return home. The woman notices the Traveler and Paimon, considering her task complete until Paimon asks her about the code to unlock the cryptex. She is unsure before they ask her other questions, all of which she fails to answer due to missing memories. Xilonen suspects that an isolation block is preventing her from recalling her memories. She then asks the Traveler if they had seen humanoid automatons before, which the Traveler confirms with several types of clockwork meka; Xilonen also recognizes the woman's knee joints are made from clockwork. The woman then states that Fontaine makes good pastries, but is not from Fontaine. They then ask if she came from Mondstadt due to having similar attire to a maid, but she also clarifies that she isn't from Mondstadt either. Xilonen then brings out the woman's other smaller robot and the woman activates it. After being told to do the same with her right arm, it transforms into a broom, surprising Paimon. Xilonen then asks the woman to clean up the workshop for her, which she does and both cleans up and sorts out books. Paimon then notices a dirty tapestry and asks the woman to clean it, which she does. Paimon then asks Xilonen if the poster depicted her relative, but she instead tells her that it was the first "Baraka". In her time, she dismantled many machines in the hopes of helping humanity, but many of her feats had been lost to both time and Och-Kan. When Och-Kan went insane, she killed herself and then Ixquiehburned her workshop to the ground to ensure that Och-Kan could not use it against humanity. Chasca then states that her friend, Lianca, managed to save some of her work. As the woman looks at the tapestry, she suffers from a malfunction, and in her mind, a mysterious entity calls her a traitor and daring to seek a place to belong. As Paimon approaches her to ask her what's wrong, she tells her to stay back and fires a massive bolt of Electro energy which the Traveler manages to parry. Ajaw then arrives, demanding to know what happened as the sound startled him. Kinichlikewise appears, confirming the woman as his target. Paimon believes that he is there to destroy her, but he instead reveals that some merchants were looking for her and that not every job he took involved hunting. They meet with the caravan merchants, noting that they are all from different nations. They are delighted to see her and reveal her name as Ineffa, and her manufacturer is Aino. As Ineffa gets a headache from the memories, one of the merchants, Zhuoxin, reveals that they are all from Nod-Krai. Asimu stated that they were all living in Nod-Krai before trouble came, revealing it to be the Fatui who came from the north. Their actions in Nod-Krai caused a lot of tension between the numerous religious groups there, such as pulling the moon down, something that the Frostmoon Scions would not take lightly. Due to the potential fighting, they all decided to leave and return to their hometowns when they were attacked by the Secret Source Automatons, with Ineffa jumping ship to defend them. When they docked, they sought help which Kinich offered, though the Traveler and Xilonen's actions warranted adjusting the price. Xilonen is impressed by Ineffa's core and wonders if it was modified, prompting Paimon to declare that they should look for Aino. Zhuoxin states that Aino scavenged it in the wilds. The group also reveals that Ineffa had been suffering from amnesia that got worse as they approached Natlan. Chasca offers the group lodging at her tribe so they could reorient themselves while Kinich leaves with Ajaw to get help from others. As Paimon says goodbye to them, she notices that Ajaw is acting unusual. A short distance away, Kinich calls Ajaw out on his unexpected timidness, though Ajaw retorts him by saying that he sent him into a stupor. Ajaw then ponders if he saw who he thought the mysterious woman actually was, but brushes it off and believes it isn't his problem.

   Smoldering The Traveler and Paimon head to the Flower-Feather Clan to check up on the merchants, finding Zhuoxin's daughter, Adieta, along with Yatlan, Capac and Kotimy who were playing with Ineffa's small robot. Adieta reveals that she and her family were going back to Liyue, her father's hometown. While they wanted to leave after ensuring that Ineffa was okay, too much time had passed as Zhuoxin's family were waiting for him. The three tribal children promise to send letters to her to inform them of Ineffa's status and the Traveler offers to bring Adieta's gift to Ineffa, much to her gratitude. Heading to Ineffa's last known location, they find her finishing off the last of some Secret Source Automatons. Ineffa enters chat mode and the Traveler offers her the flower as she tries to question its purpose. They manage to convince her to accept it as a gift and memento, which triggers another memory. In the memory, the observer watches a woman pick flowers for her and states that the observer was once an enemy of humankind, though Och-Kan still saw her as the same being indistinguishable from her or Ixquieh. If they stayed behind, Och-Kan's hatred would grow, and the woman implores it to find a new place to belong across the sea. The strange entity from before then appears repeating the same phrase. Ineffa states that her modules were having issues as she was near the tribe, but the Traveler offers to protect her, which she accepts after analyzing their strength. Meanwhile, Zhuoxin and his family thank Chasca for her hospitality and agreeing to help Ineffa in their place. Adieta is upset that she couldn't say goodbye to Ineffa, but at that moment, she arrives to meet her. Ineffa thanks Adieta for the flower before the family leaves for Liyue Harbor. Ineffa then asks about the meaning of home, which Chasca explains to her in some detail. Chimpu flies from above, which Chasca believes is additional information and asks Ineffa to consider her explanation. As she does so, the entity from before asks her if she forgot why she lost her memories to begin with. The group then finds Citlali, who reveals that Kinich put Ajaw in timeout for three days before having Cacucu pick him up. In his anger, Ajaw slipped the term "sovereign ruler." Citlali explains that the Thirteen Sovereign Lords were actually artificial intelligence created by the Pyro Sovereign with Secret Source technology but became lost over time. Chasca asks which one he was, but Citlali tells her that Ajaw refused to answer that question. As Kinich and Ifa were watching Ajaw, Citlali states that Ajaw is no longer in his prime and likely lost his memories too. However, since he recognized Ineffa's core as a sovereign, Citlali speculates that Ineffa's core is actually the Eighth Lord, the Priestess of Floral Candles and Skyborne Feathers, who was close to Lianca and ruled over the territory held by the present-day tribe, but executed by her fellow lords for raising Lianca. Ineffa asks Citlali how the Eighth Lord was killed, but she is unsure since humans were not privy to the information. However, she did hear that one of the other lords placed a curse on her so that if she had pro-human sentiments, every ounce of goodwill would cause pain of immeasurable proportions, destroying her mind. Citlali gives some woven scrolls to the Traveler before holding their hand, asking them to discreetly meet her in an undisclosed location before claiming she needed to go. Citlali instructs them to follow her, where they find Xilonen. Citlali then tells them that both the Eighth Lord and Lianca fought another Sovereign Lord. Since Ineffa did not respond to mentions of the Eighth Lord, she believes that Ineffa's core is actually the Eleventh Lord, who was extremely hostile to humanity. After Xiuhcoatlwas defeated, the Eleventh Lord went mad and disappeared. Due to how the automatons were aggressively reacting to Ineffa, they have credible belief that she is the Eleventh Lord and decide that they might need to take her out. Chasca interrupts, having seen through Citlali's plan. Chasca states that she trusts Ineffa, as her family did in her, and in the event that she was hostile, they would simply beat her down again. Paimon then arrives and states that after Ineffa looked at the scrolls, she flew off without an explanation while activating annihilation mode. The group quickly departs to find her, soon locating her facing off against some Secret Source Automatons who were attacking Zhuoxin and his family. As they destroy them, a few Fatui observe them. Their leader, Velimiru, holds a strange object in his hands. A voice tells him that he's playing with fire and an unpredictable variable potentially threatens them, so he orders a retreat. Ineffa states that she heard the automatons talking and disassembles them. As she connects the module to her little robot, Zhuoxin asks why they attacked his family. The automaton tells him that the Fatui forced them to do so, though the group knows that Capitano's forces were on good terms with Natlan. The automaton tells them that the Fatui invaded their territory. As the connection becomes choppy, Ineffa begins to translate, explaining that the Fatui took control of their privileges to forcibly control the automatons. The automaton, sensing the Mirror of the Dawning Morn nearby, asks her for permission, which Ineffa believes is herself and is the Eleventh Lord and that the automaton wants her to return the core. Chasca, suspicious of the attack, asks the automaton for proof. The automaton states that the Eighth Lord's memory should be returned to restore all of her data. It mentions split, exile and reborn, but Ineffa is unable to translate it. Zhuoxin then reveals that the Fatui regiment that invaded Natlan were likely special ops that were appearing everywhere with an interest in ancient history for "inference," with the regiment's leader being a Fatui Harbinger known as "Marionette." Chasca asks how he knows this, and Zhuoxin states that he heard rumors while in Nasha Town, though he hoped that it wasn't true. Aamu asks how she hadn't heard of it and Zhuoxin states that he had been too preoccupied to tell her. Worried that Citlali and Xilonen's fears are becoming true, Chasca decides that they should plan a course of action before going out. Chasca brings the family back to the tribe while tasking the Traveler and Ineffa to scout the nearby area. As they observe the area, the little robot takes a look at Zhuoxin and states that his picture was found at a Fatui stronghold, implying that he might be a spy. The Traveler informs Chasca of this before she brings them back to her tribe. As Zhuoxin watches them leave, he too does, and the Traveler, Paimon, Ineffa and her robot trail him into some ruins. The automaton tells her that ruins lead to a secondary entrance to the Lord's territory before Ineffa also rushes in, prompting the three to chase after her. Searing Inside the ruins, the group catches up to Ineffa, who is surprised to find herself in the territory. The automaton apologizes for summoning her, revealing itself to be the Eighth Lord. She reveals that after her execution, Lianca saved her and tried to rescue her too after the battle. It is revealed that Ineffa is indeed suffering from a type of "curse," which was caused by certain memories hardwired into her and could not be removed. This resulted in the aforementioned malfunctions. In order to help her avoid this, Lianca modified Ineffa's memory module. Suddenly, the Eighth Lord's controls are overridden by the Fatui, forcing them to venture deeper down the tunnel. They soon find a service bot who recognizes Ineffa as Administrator 3, calling a Secret Source Dragon Idol and revealing the location to be the Temple of Cascading Colors, built by Administrator 1. After something happened to Administrator 1, Administrator 2 took over and later had the facility sealed. As the Dragon Idol drops the group off at the central zone, an Anemoboxer Vanguard and Fatui Agent overhear their arrival and try to investigate, but find nothing as the group managed to find a hiding spot. They sneak around and soon find Zhuoxin confronting the Fatui, claiming that they were asking too much from him. Velimiru states that his job was to bring Ineffa to the facility, while Fajeyi reminds him that they were waiving his debt to the Northland Bank in return for going back to Liyue, which was a lot for them to get nothing in return. Zhuoxin states that he had spied for them for over ten years and asks if that wasn't enough, causing Gulebu to snap at him. Velimiru states that he only has one job left and hands him a device that Marionette replicated, which would allow him to control any Secret Source mechanisms. Zhuoxin refuses to help them, as he wouldn't be able to look at his daughter in the face after doing their final task. As the Fatui prepare to eliminate him, the four arrive to help him. Before they could do anything, Velimiru sets up a barrier on them and demands that Ineffa bring them further inside. She agrees under the condition that they let the others go, but the Fatui, skeptical of her claims, reject her suggestion. Suddenly, Ineffa's little robot activates another barrier on the Fatui, much to their shock. The Eighth Lord tells the group to hang tight as she collapses the platform below them, causing Velimiru to realize that what they sought was under them the entire time and orders his men to break the barrier. At the bottom, the Eighth Lord apologizes for the sudden haste as when the Fatui used all of their power to create the barrier, she was able to regain control for a brief moment. Now directly at the core, she has full control and prepares several automatons to fight the Fatui off and asks Ineffa if she recalls the path she once chose. Ineffa asks if she was born here, but the Eighth Lord told her that it was where she was reborn and that she placed the curse on herself. After the war, after being defeated and stranded, and unsure of what to do, she was left with two options: either get revenge on humanity or seek a new home. This caused her to split into two personalities, the latter of which became Ineffa while the former eventually perished. Ineffa realizes that the Eighth Lord had been waiting for her return for over two thousand years, but the Eighth Lord was surprised when the Fatui came first. Lianca had intended to rebuild the Eleventh Lord but never had the chance to do so, so the Eighth Lord worked tirelessly in her place. The Eighth Lord asks her to continue down the path to rebuild herself, so she could regain access of the entire facility as they could not leave with the Fatui having claimed the upper levels. As they access the underground zone, the Eighth Lord asks Ineffa to approach her and be reborn. As she does so, the Fatui catch up, but Ineffa summons barriers to kill them. The Traveler tries to check on them but Ineffa also strikes them, though missing a fatal blow. She then tries to crush the Traveler and Paimon with barriers, and the two quickly realize that it is not Ineffa. She then reveals herself as the true Eleventh Lord, who had manipulated everything from the start to get revenge. Lianca had caught onto their act and imprisoned her in the facility for attempting to destroy their benevolent self, so the malevolent self concocted a plan to lure Ineffa and reclaim the core. As they prepare the Configuration Device to finish the Traveler and Paimon off, Ineffa intervenes and stops the Eleventh Lord by crushing the core to pieces, which also disables her. Rushing to Ineffa, the Traveler and Paimon try to check on her when Velimiru somehow gets back up on his feet and tries to use the replica core to restore the Eleventh Lord. The Traveler cuts him down, but realizes that he isn't a human either and the Eleventh Lord manages to awaken. Angered at the interference, she declares that they will all have a new home, buried underground until the end of time. As the Traveler fights the Eleventh Lord, Ineffa manages to cause a data overload in her mind, allowing her to create a new core and gain an Electro Vision in the process, which a horrified Eleventh Lord recognizes as a Moon Wheel, built by the usurper and the three godswho abandoned them. They destroy the Eleventh Lord and flee the premises along with Zhuoxin. Outside, Xilonen tries to stabilize the ruins. Mavuika states that if needed, she'll pull them out, but the group emerges unscathed. Aamu, angered at Zhuoxin's deception, slaps him in the face. Zhuoxin states that they cannot return to Nod-Krai or Liyue as the Fatui would hunt him down, so Chasca offers his family a place to stay at her tribe. Citlali reminds the Traveler of the cryptex and Ineffa opens it. Inside, they find a message from Varka, expressing his gratitude to Traveler for protecting Mondstadt during his own absence. He then tells them that Nod-Krai is treacherous, with the Abyss Order and Fatui causing trouble as usual as well as the struggles between other factions, and they should prepare before they head there; once they did so, he asked them to meet at a tavern known as The Flagship. Finishing the letter, the Traveler asks Ineffa about the Moon Wheel and Nod-Krai itself: while the Moon Wheel's function is quite similar to a Vision, it serves more like a power source rather than just simply elemental power. Ineffa plans to stay in Natlan in the immediate future, but suggests that when the time comes, she could return to Nod-Krai with the Traveler and Paimon when they make their trip there.

   “A Dance of Snowy Tides and Hoarfrost Groves”: Where the Moon Rises After spending some more time in Natlan, Ineffawaits for the Traveler and Paimon outside the Stadium of the Sacred Flame. Ineffa tells them that the conditions to travel from Natlan are optimal, but as they prepare to leave, Mualani, Kachina, Kinich and Ajaw arrive, having been told by Paimon about their departure and wanting to send them off with a farewell party. They explain that everyone is waiting for them, and Kachina additionally invites Ineffa, who accepts. Meanwhile, someone observes them from behind a wall. In Nod-Krai, the person reports to Sandrone, who tells her that they are leaving Natlan. Sandrone states that it is about time that she met the "variable" (Traveler) in person. Some time later, on a boat steaming its way to Nod-Krai, the Traveler, Ineffa and Paimon talk about how the new step of a journey feels, with Ineffa noting that for her, it was when she couldn't detect "the moon's power" when entering Natlan. They arrive at Nod-Krai's port city, Nasha Town. As they leave the pier, the Traveler notices something when they step onto the land itself and realizes there is a power present that feels the same as when they had left their spaceship after they and their sibling landed on Teyvat. Paimon is surprised they still haven't talked about it as much, though they state that they only remember landing and their sibling waking them up. Wondering what power might have compelled them to remember, Ineffa suggests that it was Kuuvahki, the power of the moon that she mentioned on the boat. It is a pure, primordial form of elemental energy similar to Phlogiston and the Primordial Sea, which the Traveler believes may be a power from the Light Realm that Yohualtecuhtin, Lord of the Nightmentioned. Thus, the Traveler believes their spaceship is somewhere in the area; though unsure of the location, they believe it was near a beach, and perhaps a mountain, but Ineffa explains that Nod-Krai is made up of islands surrounded by the sea, so that could describe nearly any of its beaches. Walking further into town, Paimon suggests they head to the Adventurers' Guild to spread word about the ship. As Ineffa shows them where to go, they find a strange sprite floating around, which Ineffa explains is a kuuhenki, a species native to the land and familiars of the Moon Goddess. Ineffa suggests to follow it, as it is said to bring good fortune. They follow it and find treasure, though it only points to various landmarks around town. They decide to take a visit and Ineffa guides them to a spot above the smithy. She explains about Nod-Krai's past and current state before Paimon notices a cannon. Ineffa explains that it is Aino's "Boom and Blast Kuuvahki Cannon," which she uses when the threat of the Wild Hunt becomes too dangerous around town. Paimon is impressed by Aino's capabilities before the two ask about the Wild Hunt. Ineffa does not have enough data about them, but knows that they pose a danger to the people of Nod-Krai. Finally, they arrive at The Flagship to meet up with Varka, though they do not find him. Paimon suggests talking to the bartender, Demyan. Demyan reveals that Varka left for Amsvartnir, a lake at the northern reaches of Nod-Krai. Trouble had been brewing there, so he took his knights to investigate. Varka had paid for their lodging beforehand, as well as a serving of Berries and Fried Meat for Ineffa to deliver to Aino. He had discovered that she'd been gorging on junk food while Ineffa was away, and so, out of concern, had done what he could to ensure that Aino had at least one balanced meal per day. As the Traveler and Paimon drop off their luggage in their guest room, Ineffa parts ways for the time being to pick up some components in town that Aino had requested. The two leave after a quick inspection of the room and as Paimon wonders about trying out the tavern's Berries and Fried Meat, she bumps into a man, apologizing to him. The man apologizes back, stating that it was his fault for thinking in the middle of the hallway and introduces himself as Flins. Flins reveals that he was in town to repair his lantern, which the Traveler takes note of as something about it feels off to them. He explains that as a Ratnik, he spends his time in the graveyards to the north, fending off the Wild Hunt. Realizing a lot of time had passed, Flins bids them farewell, telling them that they're welcome to visit him at his station if they choose to. Leaving the tavern, Paimon realizes they forgot about their planned meal, but believes it's not worth going back inside to get an order made. Suddenly, they see some people passing out food to others and investigate. The tall woman recognizes them as travelers and introduces herself as Lauma, a Moonchanter of the Frostmoon Scions. She explains their beliefs to them and remarks about the unwelcome Fatuipresence, causing two Fatui, Oiva and Ognjen, to demand some too. Their haughty nature angers Vilemina, though Lauma insists that they still deserve some food. However, she cryptically warns the soldiers that if the Scions' kindness is met continuously with deliberate disrespect, the Scions won't be so 'kind' in the future. This riles up the two Fatui, but they notice the Traveler's presence and decide it's best not to cross the adventurer by themselves and leave with their food, but are disgusted by the lack of meat. Vilemina explains that since the Fatui arrived in Nod-Krai, their lives had been turned upside down. Based on the interaction, Lauma recognizes that the Fatui know who the Traveler is and appreciates that they would have helped them if the soldiers had gotten violent, telling them that they're welcome at the Frostmoon Enclave. Since Ineffa was not done with her tasks, Paimon decides to make use of their landmarks brochure to showcase the rest of Nasha Town to the best of her ability. With two more stops left, they visit them; a curios store, where they find Dori, who had set up a local shop after the Fatui pulled down two Ancient Moon remnants, and the Adventurers' Guild branch. Paimon believes that Katheryne is there, but instead they discover Marionette, the Seventh of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, putting the Traveler on high alert. Marionette states that she had come personally as a friendly warning. She was upset at their intervention of Ineffa's capture in Natlan, but it was only a side project. As they are now in Nod-Krai, she warns them not to interfere in Fatui matters and to consider their next options carefully as she leaves. Her presence causes the Traveler to realize that the Fatui were keeping tabs on them just as Katheryne appears to greet them. Meeting up with Ineffa, the Traveler reveals that they did not get any information about their spaceship. Ineffa then suggests paying a visit to Aino, believing that she might know something since she had dug up Secret Source mechanisms. On the way to the Clink-Clank Krumkake Craftshop, they encounter a small finch trapped in a plant, which the Traveler frees with kuuvahki. At the craftshop, Paimon is impressed by the machinery Aino had created. They head inside the home, where Ineffa finds Aino eating sweets and having broken her agreement to regulate her snack intake. After a short reconciliation, Aino recognizes the Traveler and Paimon, having been informed by Varka. They ask her about a spaceship, though she had never seen one. Ineffa clarifies that Aino never touched it, and she confirms as much, stating that she had pretty much taken apart everything in Nod-Krai and never came across anything alien, so the ship could at least still be intact. Aino suggests they visit the Frostmoon Scions, claiming that they have a ritual which allows them to see the "true" past. Ineffa stays behind to take care of Aino, and the Traveler promises her they'll visit frequently. Heading to Hiisi Island, the two are greeted by a unique kuuhenki that follows them briefly before Paimon tells it off. They make their way to the enclave, finding Lauma speaking to the wildlife. Lauma explains that she is able to communicate with them and they meet the finch from earlier, where she conveys its gratitude to the two. As they look at the statue, Lauma explains that they were designed with Kuutar's visage, created hundreds of years ago. But since the Fatui arrived, they had been defacing them, and the one on the island is the only one not altered. Lauma also explains that the Fatui set up the Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau over one of the large moon remnants and were interested in the one on the island. Suddenly, the kuuhenki from before appears, and Lauma is surprised to see one, as it is a special kuuhenki called a "Luonnotar," beings born from the Moon Goddess' blessing. She tells them to follow her into the enclave if they wish to learn more. On the way, the people and wildlife salute her, and Paimon is impressed by the respect she holds. They run into Vilemina again, and Lauma tells her to let the kitchen know to prepare two more servings for their guests. While dinner is being made, she has them follow her into her library. Lauma explains about the past of her people, who hailed from Hyperborea, and the Three Moons of Teyvat. During the war with the Descenders, only the Frost Moon remained intact and the other two, the Eternal and Iridescent Moons, were shattered and many of their fragments fell onto Nod-Krai, explaining how it was abundant in kuuvahki. The Fatui had pulled down parts of the Eternal Moon, and Paimon asks about the Iridescent Moon, though Lauma states that no one had ever found it. The Traveler then wonders about the Crimson Moon dynasty, though Lauma continues by stating that a prophecy was passed down in which the Moon Goddess would return. While it came true, it did not come about as anticipated, only for Kapyto barge in and inform Lauma of her daughter, Kaarina. They head downstairs to find the sick child, and Lauma asks her if she took her advice to go seek medical help in Nasha Town. Kapy did not, as she expresses distrust of the Snezhnayan doctors there, prompting Lauma to remind her that not all Snezhnayans should be conflated with the Fatui. Unlike the Frostmoon Scions, they had the experience of medically treating this condition for generations, but at the moment, Lauma would have to intervene right away. With no choice, she recites a prayer with her powers to put the girl to sleep. Vilemina then arrives and informs her that dinner is ready. As they go out, Vilemina asks the Traveler to take care of Lauma, aware of the burden she carries. While enjoying the meal, Oiva and Ognjen return and mock the Frostmoon Scions to provoke a conflict. Ognjen reminds Oiva that they're on official business, so they issue an ultimatium to them; hand over the relic and reveal the location of their "Kuutar" in three days, or the Fatui would begin cleansing the island. Lauma refuses their request and states that if they step foot on the island with ill intentions, their blood will be spilled. A short scuffle ensues with the Fatui being driven away, and their mention of the "relic" leads the Traveler to ask about it too. Lauma agrees to tell them, as they are welcome guests, though she suggests another location. As they head there, Paimon is enamored by the huge statue in the distance, which Lauma explains is a statue of their goddess Kuutar and talks about her birth. Kuutar originally left after being angered by the scions' greed, though reports were surfacing that she was spotted on the island again. Based on the Fatui's demeanor, Lauma suspects that their Kuutar is actually the Fatui Harbinger Damselette. Paimon is shocked, aware of her standing in the Fatui, though she wonders why she would have joined the Fatui. Lauma is also unsure, though she states that she respects people's decisions. Returning to the relic, Paimon asks about it, prompting Lauma to ask why they were interested in it. Paimon attempts to explain without revealing everything, but is cut off by the Traveler, who reveals that they are the latest Descender and are looking into their and their sibling's past. Lauma appreciates their honesty and agrees to help them, though the item in question, the "Moon Marrow," is not available. It is an item that is used during a ritual when the moon is closest to Teyvat, as only then could she retrieve it from its storage. Nonetheless, she promises to help them when the time comes, though she suddenly asks if they would hide secrets from their family if the knowledge could hurt them. The Traveler is unable to answer, and Lauma realizes her question put them on the spot and apologizes for asking. As they leave to rest, Paimon remarks that their arrival in Nod-Krai has left them with even more questions, and the Traveler wonders what their sibling is up to.

   Reunion Beneath the Moonlight The Traveler and Paimon head back to The Flagship and get some sleep, but the numerous questions filling the Traveler's mind prevents them from doing so. They leave a note for Paimon and head out on a walk, finding themselves back on Hiisi Island once again. Hearing singing, they spot the Luonnotar and follow it, which leads them to an underground cavern. The Traveler spots a young woman inside walking through a field of blue flowers lined with pools of water, realizing that she's the person that both the Frostmoon Scions and Fatui are looking for. She likewise notices them and asks how they got in, only for the Luonnotar to appear next to her, clearing any confusion between the two. The Traveler asks about her identities, but upon mentioning the Fatui, she believes that she was there at their behest. In an instant, the flowers turn red, but the Traveler explains they are not a Fatuus and wishes to ask about the moons. She tells them that looks can be deceiving before singing again, so the Traveler tries again, introducing themselves to her and asking for her name. She confirms that she's been referred to as Columbina and Kuutar, though she admits that she does not know her own name as she had been born alone, so she invites them to feel free to use one of those. The Traveler wishes to ask about the Fatui, but given her previous response, decides not to, and they ask about the Luonnotar instead, asking if she made it. She tells them that she didn't, and the Traveler notices that she has an attachment to it. As the Traveler leaves, the Luonnotar wishes to follow them. As they part ways, Columbina tells them that the moon can be treacherous before she resumes singing. Outside, the Traveler wonders about Columbina before spotting their sibling and chase after them. The sibling is not surprised to see them, but is also looking for the relic, as they want to know about their past, how they came to Teyvat and why they crashed. The Traveler is surprised by this, though the sibling refuses to wait two months and heads towards the statue of Kuutar. The sibling imbues the floor with Abyssal energy, much to the Traveler's alarm as they feel it was rude to use it without their permission. The sibling is surprised by how they trusted Lauma so easily, believing that she was stalling for time and opens a hidden staircase. The sibling asks them if it was wrong for them to hide matters from them when others did far worse, though the Traveler clarifies that they were willing to hear them out no matter how long it took. The sibling then admits that the Moon Marrow also held answers about the origins of Teyvat, which they believed had to be seen with their own eyes. If they were worried, they could leave and pretend they never met, but the Traveler decides to accompany them. Heading inside the sanctum, the pair are greeted by various defenses meant to test visitors and deter intruders. The first test involves the use of kuuvahki, while the second is a fight against "fairly weak" (according to the sibling) monsters that they easily best. At the third trial, the sibling uses abyssal power to move various statues beneath them, while the Traveler uses kuuvahki to put the pieces into place. During the trek into the next area, the Traveler asks their sibling what they intend to do, only to get cryptic responses. Finally, they defeat the sanctum's guardian and head inside to claim the relic. The sibling asks them to do it for their sake, though the demeanor leaves the Traveler confused as a fog sets in. The Traveler soon finds themselves outside, surrounded by the Wild Hunt. But before they could do anything, Flins appears and eliminates them. He tells them that he was on patrol when he saw them in danger, though he also saw someone else rush out too, causing them to realize it was their sibling. With no further leads, the Traveler returns to the Flagship to sleep, finally able to relax. As they wake up, Paimon asks the Traveler where they went and what happened, but decides they should share it over a meal first. While eating, they overhear two patrons, Jolanta and Ahvo, talk about the theft of the relic, which Lauma had discovered. As such, she went to the Voynich Guild and the Curatorium of Secrets to get assistance in the matter, so they too decide to go there. When they arrive, they only find a black cat, which enters a curtained room. Lauma and another woman come to greet them, and Lauma introduces her as Nefer, the boss of the establishment. Nefer is aware of their feats from the other nations while Lauma explains that she refuses to accept the commission. The Traveler then admits that they broke into the sanctum with their sibling. Lauma is not upset with the deceit, as she believes the Traveler had good intentions and had the right to visit it, as the dangerous trials within are really only to keep out the unworthy, though their sibling did not. Nefer then asks if they were sure it was their sibling, as she heard that the Fatui called off their search, leading them to believe that the Fatui might have taken it instead. Lauma then asks Nefer to convince the next person who comes in to help them with their task, which she reluctantly agrees to. Coincidentally, Jahoda bursts in, returning unexpectedly early after an ibis dropped the missing cat she was assigned to look for practically in front of her. Knowing Lauma was behind the ibis' actions, the annoyed Nefer assigns her to the task while trying to hint that she should turn it down, but the confused Jahoda takes it, much to Nefer's disappointment. Nefer subsequently fires her and states that she will not be welcome back until after she completes the commission, leaving Jahoda baffled as to what was going on. Jahoda promises to prepare the plan in a day, while Lauma asks them to meet at Hiisi Island the following night for a conversation. There, they find her in prayer and she reveals massive antlers on her head, stating that it is a condition that occurs once a century. She asks the Traveler if the skies were fake, which they confirm to her relief, as, being able to feel the power of the moon coming from a different direction than the moon she could see, she had her suspicions for a long time. She also asks if they met Kuutar, which they also confirm. As they continue their conversation, Kapy comes in again, and believing it to be Kaarina's condition flaring again, they head to check on her. Lauma tells Kapy to wait outside, then takes out a knife and cuts her hand, spilling silver blood to mix with medicinal powder for Kaarina. She asks them to keep it a secret, and noticing similar healed scars on her hands, the Traveler realizes she has been treating others the same way. As they walk out, Vilemina warns them not to step on her traps as Lauma asked them to prepare them in the coming Fatui invasion. After the pair leave, it is revealed that she intends to spend her last night with the group, troubled by how the rest of the scions refused to accept the truth. The Traveler then decides to pay a visit to Columbina, and Paimon suggests bringing food for her. They arrive at the hall and greet her, and Columbina takes note of Paimon's presence. They set out the food for her, though she does not accept nor deny it. The Traveler asks about the fake sky, and Columbina states that it means the "missing prologue," confusing both. They then ask about her song, which she states is the only thing she remembered when she was born. Sometime afterwards, she was found by the Frostmoon Scions, who prayed to her for answers which she gave until she could no longer do so and left them. Then, she joined the Fatui, but realized that they too were just the same as her first home, only interested in her powers. While she helped the Tsaritsa at the cost of much of her powers, she left to recover, the Archon remarking that freedom came with a price. She also had met Lauma, who apologized for her ancestors' actions and asked her to stay hidden for their own sakes.

   In the Shadows of Night Back at the Flagship, the Traveler and Paimon take a rest before meeting up with Lauma and Jahoda. When they arrive, they only find Lauma, wondering where Jahoda had went. A mole then emerges and informs Lauma that Jahoda was trying to sneak off, so she remarks "wavering conscience" to force her off a cliff. Jahoda tries to bluff her way out but is upset at how fearless her clients are, claiming they should either go back to Nasha Town for supplies or disband, both of which get no approval. Thus, she is forced to bring them inside, making use of security terminals to give them a clear entrance. However, their ascension to the top is interrupted by a lack of power, so they enter through a ventilation shaft, only for it to close and separate them. Lauma uses kuuvahki to reveal numerous lasers while the Traveler informs Jahoda on adjusting the corridor so they can get through safely. Jahoda is unable to provide clearance with her current card, so she hacks into a janitor bot to get the required card. She then triggers an alarm to divert two Fatui underneath the others. They continue their trail until they activate a massive cannon, revealing a large fragment underneath them. Lauma tells Jahoda that the commission is complete, but she insists on tagging along and they descend down. While investigating, a door opens and reveals Vilemina, who joined the Fatui as she could no longer live a lie. She had trailed the Traveler and their sibling and took the Moon Marrow. Lauma admits that while she knew the truth, she couldn't reveal it to the rest of the group and tells her that the skies were fake. She additionally cared for the scions, promising to reveal everything in the new moon. As a sign of respect to her old friend, Vilemina performs the traditional punishment for betrayal of the Scions on herself by painfully cutting her antlers off with a knife and reveals that Marionette took the Moon Marrow to Starsand Shoal. Outside, Marionette notices the alarm and orders her subordinates to get ready. The four confront her and demand the Moon Marrow, though Marionette refuses and orders her subordinates to serve the "appetizer." They do not respond, and as she turns around, the group discovers the Wild Hunt was attacking them. As they repel the eldritch forces, a massive fog engulfs the area, separating the Traveler from the others. As they navigate the mist, they hear their sibling's voice, but realize that it was never their sibling to begin with, remembering that they'd been told that the sibling had found them still in their hypersleep pod, not that they'd left their ship together as this version claimed. Lauma uses her powers to dispel the mist, and in the aftermath of the battle, Marionette extracts the marrow from her robot Pulonia. She tosses the Moon Marrow to them, stating that whoever wanted it would need to get it themselves, and it wasn't her responsibility if someone else was able to secure it. As the group leaves, they run into Flins, who had sensed the Wild Hunt. The Traveler warns him that they've changed in nature, so he departs to inform his superiors of the news. The Traveler notices just how they can feel something off about Flins, Lauma lets down her guard when he leaves. She reveals that the animals have told her they will not even go near him out of fear. The Traveler and the others return to the Curatorium. Nefer hires Jahoda back while Lauma asks her to fetch some medicine for her, which she does for an extra charge as it's the middle of the night. As they leave, Lauma states she intends to tell the Frostmoon Scions everything, that very night. For the Moon Marrow, they would need to find another way to store it now that the Wild Hunt had compromised the secret chamber. Additionally, using her powers depleted her and she would not be able to help them with their task, though they assured her that her health is important and they have no qualms with postponing it. Lauma floats the idea of storing the marrow within herself with her body acting as a vessel. A previous Moonchanter had done once when the Scions' bloodline was still strong, but it's a grueling trial of will and endurance, and they only lasted for two days; she believes she would last five days at most. The Traveler convinces her that they act as the vessel instead, with Paimon agreeing that the Moon Marrow couldn't be more dangerous than the levels of Abyssal corruption they've resisted. With her guidance, they store it in the Traveler's body, just as Nefer returns with what medication she could get and wonders what they were up to. The Traveler explains to Nefer about the Wild Hunt attack, and she is surprised to hear of a phantom that is able to impersonate others. Lauma then returns to Hiisi Island, the Traveler and Paimon accompanying her as emotional support. As the Frostmoon Scions gather for the meeting, several are left wondering what she has to say. Lauma reveals the truth to the tribe, some being accepting of it while others were in disbelief. After the conversation, Lauma reveals that some left, having felt that losing their faith was like losing their home, while others instead thanked her for the truth as they felt it drew her closer to them, having seen her a bit distant and unapproachable before. She then asks about her appearance, and the Traveler gives her an honest remark before she looks at the moonlight, remarking that she feels like she's "finally living on the bright side of the moon."

   “Elegy of Dust and Lamplight”: Fulminations and Undercurrents While walking around Nasha Town, the Traveler and Paimon overhear a few residents of Nasha Town talking about the recent Wild Hunt incursion. Noticing the Traveler eavesdropping on their conversation, they take it to another place. The Traveler and Paimon then run into Aino, Ineffa, and a Ratnik called Sousi. Because of the Wild Hunt, the Lightkeepers are asking Aino to finally begin repair work on the Boom and Blast Kuuvahki Cannon, which she agrees to as long as she gets her sweets. Since she has other matters to attend to, Aino tosses a huge book to Paimon, which is actually a manual on how to fix the cannon, along with a Birgitta variant known as Beep-Boopitta. The three manage to get information on the cannon, and Sousi briefly leaves to get the replacement part. They then gather at the control room, where Aino is making the final preparations for the cannon. Paimon then suggests to head back to the Flagship to see if anyone knows about the phantom. When they return to the tavern, they find a large amount of people gathered outside and try to investigate, but Valta tells them that a Banquet is going on. In order to enter, the proper "channel" was required, so the two head to the Curatorium, where Nefer greets them. The Traveler offers to bring the medicine to Lauma and indirectly ask for her invitation to the Banquet, though Nefer easily sees their intentions but agrees nonetheless. Jahoda then comes in with the medicine, but Paimon quickly realizes that she picked up saltinstead, causing her to run out to recover the original delivery. Returning to the tavern, Valta allows them in when the Traveler returns with the proper "channel." Inside, Nefer gains the entire audience's attention by claiming that the Traveler is a mixologist from Mondstadt, so they prepare various drinks, including the Roulette Special. Nefer ensures that the Traveler avoids alcoholic drinks as much as possible, until they roll the signature "Dark Horse" drink in the final round. The Traveler uses this to ask Dobrawa about her encounter with the Wild Hunt, though she does not remember seeing a phantom as she knew she needed to escape before she was consumed. After the special, Nefer talks to an informant named Korhonen, who gives her information about Wild Hunt appearances. Notably, various spots have been cleared before the Lightkeepers came, saying that the gulf was far too abnormal for adventurers to be involved. They ask about the phantom, but he has never heard of it before. Outside, the Traveler and Nefer compile the gathered information, concluding that the phantom was a recent sighting and that the mastermind must be hiding behind it. Just then, Jahoda arrives with the medicine and gives it to the Traveler before Nefer concludes the conversation. Jahoda brings the Traveler to the plaza, where a crowd has assembled to witness a test firing of the cannon.

   The Dark Side of Memory With the medicine in tow, the Traveler and Paimon return to Hiisi Island to give Lauma the rest of the medicine. Lauma tells them that her people are more proactive, having known the true meaning of their faith, though she feels that it will still take some time for everything to settle. She admits that she should've told the truth sooner and the Traveler relays what they learned to her. Lauma then asks them to take out the Moon Marrow and draws from a past memory, where the Traveler spots their spaceship crashing into Nod-Krai as it ends. Lauma tells them it was all she could discern due to the memory's turbulence and disturbance. A Luonnotar then appears and the surrounding flowers change color, causing the Traveler to realize that Columbina wanted to talk to them. Lauma believes that Columbina would be able to help them better in their memory. The Traveler heads back to Silvermoon Hall, where Columbina appears to be worse for wear. Sensing the Moon Marrow on her, she asks them to extend their hand and she draws some power from it before asking for the purpose of their visit. Paimon then asks if she would like to hold it, but Columbina declines, stating that the Moon Marrow is actually a piece of Aria's remains. She also states that her powers came from the Frost Moon; she could sense the missing parts, but could not reach it. Paimon then asks if she has the Frost Moon's marrow, but Columbina explains that such a marrow only forms when a moon is destroyed and its Moon Goddess dies. Paimon then asks if she wants the Moon Marrow, but she declines again, as she felt a "rejection" from it and that two moons could not rise at the same time, lest one consume the other. Paimon then becomes worried about the Moon Marrow's safety, as if Columbina could sense it with ease, so would the Wild Hunt. The name appears to ring a bell to Columbina, who recalls hearing about a man who was fixated on the moons when she joined the Fatui. She only knew the person through their title, the "Rächer of Solnari," causing the Traveler and Paimon to realize that their enemy is one of the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah. Remembering the names that Dainsleifhad told them, Paimon believes their enemy is Rerir, though the Traveler wonders why he was so weak. Columbina chimes in, explaining that when she wanted to learn about Rerir's whereabouts, she was told that he had fallen in the moon's reflection, considered a point of no return. The Wild Hunt situation grew worse, though she states that the current iteration is far more deadly than the past. Paimon is worried that they could not defeat him and mentions Sandrone, causing Columbina to laugh at the mention of her name, guessing how she would've felt after the defeat. Paimon then asks the Traveler if they want to carry the marrow with them, while Columbina theorizes that something is holding Rerir back. The Traveler then asks Columbina for help regarding their memories with their spaceship, and she agrees to their request. The Traveler sees their spaceship having crashed, but soon spots their sibling outside of it, which should've been impossible as they knew that they never went out when they crashed. Columbina then helps conceal the presence of the marrow through a technique she teaches them, before Paimon asks if she was okay staying cooped up in her adobe. Columbina admits that she dislikes strangers, but agrees to go out on a walk with them once the Wild Hunt threat is resolved.

   One There Was, Who Hunted the Moon The Traveler returns to Lauma and informs her of the threat that the people of Nod-Krai are facing. Lauma, acknowledges the threat and decides to keep the mastermind's identity a secret from her people to avoid unnecessary panic. She ultimately decides that her people will fight to the end to protect their traditions. Paimon then suggests a visit to the Krumkake Craftshop to check in on Aino and Ineffa. Aino does not believe that Rerir will be a threat compared to her cannon and is preparing to ship canisters of concentrated kuuvahki to Nasha Town. She also tells them that Sousi was murdered in his office, shocking the Traveler and Paimon. When they arrive at the scene, Nefer conveniently arrives and the Ratnik on duty, Zvoni, lets them in. Inside, Sieciech greets them and explains what happened. A witness saw Flins kill Sousi, and while the Lightkeepers are skeptical that Flins would commit such an atrocity, given his good record and respect for Sousi, the witness and the wound is irrefutable evidence that he killed him. As they investigate, the Traveler remarks about Flins' lantern, which had an abyssal power and in the worst case, believes that he might be one of Rerir's disguises. Nefer informs the Traveler that Flins was spotted north of Nasha Town and hands them a Lightkeeper lantern to protect them from the Wild Hunt. The Traveler heads to Flins' last location and manages to rescue him just in time from Rerir. Flins then explains the origin of his lantern, and he kept the abyssal fragment with him to ensure that it could not pose a threat if someone else found it. The Traveler briefs him on Sousi's death and his colleagues suspecting him to be the murderer. Flins is slightly taken aback by the news, knowing that Sousi was a good man who wanted to be with his family, swearing to take Rerir's head in revenge. They then head back slightly outside of the town, where Flins asks them to "pick him up" when they get to the crime scene. They enter the scene and call Flins with the lantern, where they begin investigating once more. They initially fail to find any new clues, but the Traveler soon notices Sousi's mechanical arm flashing, using the error code signaling that maintenance was required. They then realize that Sousi had used this arm when they were fixing the cannon and that the "Sousi" at the time was actually Rerir. Flins decides that they'll need to pay a visit to Hintsa, who was the town's resident mechanic and responsible for the maintenance of Sousi's arm. Hintsa had heard rumors of the news, though unaware of Flins being the suspect. He explains that a few days prior to his death, Sousi came to him and urgently asked for his arm to be repaired, which Hintsa fully understood as Sousi would need both arms to fight the Wild Hunt. The arm was designed by Aino, with custom parts. When the parts were priority-delivered from Aino's shop, Sousi let the Lightkeepers know he was ready to do the work, but Sousi never turned up. This news confirms that the Sousi they met earlier had actually been Rerir and they theorize that he is only able to mimic the external appearance of people. They decide to take a rest and return to the Flagship. Flins reveals a story about his past; he is a fae who turned his heart towards humanity and experienced loss, wishing to end his own life. But by chance, he met the Lightkeepers, and seeing them fight the Wild Hunt without fear sparked something in him and led him to intervene in one of these fights, resulting in him joining the Lightkeepers. He asks that they not tell this to anyone.

   The Ashen-White Order Burns The following morning, the Traveler wakes up and heads outside to the main hall when they are greeted by an angry mob demanding to see Flins. Nefer, upset by the commotion, tells the mob to search for Flins. They fail to do so, and she harshly scolds them and sends them packing. She then tells the Traveler that her inside contact saw them and Flins enter the crime scene, and then word spread that the Wild Hunt could masquerade as others, causing everyone to accuse the other of being part of the Wild Hunt. Jahoda arrives with Flins' lantern, and Nefer decides that a meeting is required at the Curatorium. There, they compile the gathered information, though the Traveler is unsure as to why Rerir wanted the cannon to be prepared. With the Wild Hunt continuing to grow, they decide to separate and handle each incursion. Flins' lantern disappears, and Paimon tells the Traveler that they'll be going to his home to meet with him. At Flins' home, the Traveler and Paimon meet with Flins and head down to the Ratniks' library to look for hints about Rerir's motives. Through the help of some spirits, they eventually realize that kuuvahki and abyssal energy are polar opposites, though the winner would absorb the loser's energy. This causes them to realize that Rerir plans to have Aino's cannon fired on him; with his new strength and the concentrated kuuvahki, Rerir's energies would convert the kuuvahki into a more powerful form. An ibis then arrives, which Paimon recognizes as Lauma's doing and tells them that after they left, the cannon began to operate on its own and was pointed at Starsand Shoal. Thus, they decide to head there to stop Rerir. The three find Rerir's phantom standing in the shoal, explaining that humans did not understand the powers they wielded. He also reveals to be the origin of the Wild Hunt and that he had spent his time collecting fragments of his former corpse to rebuild himself, with his heart being in Flins' lantern. Rerir states that while Aino's cannon would not restore his true form, it was potent enough to restore enough power to crush anyone who stood in his way and he prepares to fight them. Elsewhere, Aino, Lauma, Nefer and Jahoda realize that the cannon was activated and that the people of Nasha Town were in chaos. A few, believing in Aino's creation, formed barricades around it to stop any Wild Hunt that would attempt to interrupt its charging. Knowing that the rumors are now spreading like wildfire, Lauma states that they cannot use brute force to clear a path. Lauma uses her unique powers to reassure the people that it's really her, while Aino and Ineffa use the distraction to head to the cannon. On the way, they encounter an aggressive Knuckle Duckle, forcing the two to get it out of the way. Ineffa determines that the cannon is about to fire, and Aino suggests activating the "emergency brake". Ineffa states that the prepped kuuvahki ammunition would explode and destroy Nasha Town, but Aino clarifies that she was talking about manually interfering with the cannon barrel itself, which Ineffa understands, prompting her to scale the tower to the cannon. Despite Ineffa, Flins and the Traveler's efforts, some of the cannon's kuuvahki beam does hit Starsand Shoal and becomes corrupted, the rest being deflected by Flins' powers, the Traveler's Moon Marrow shield, and Ineffa pushing the barrel upwards to shorten the firing time on target. Some of the stray bolts damage the Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau, but others that travel straight for Hiisi Island are met with a mysterious dome shield that protects it from harm. Rerir is able to restore his body with the corrupted kuuvahki, but is disappointed when he realizes that it is only a former of his complete self and becomes enraged at Flins and the Traveler's interference. But before he could attack them, Sandrone and Pulonia arrive. Claiming that the robot's new upgrades were a match for his power, Sandrone has Pulonia fight Rerir, but Rerir manages to overcome it and launches numerous hands at the group for a killing blow. Suddenly, a bright light surrounds them as Sandrone realizes what's happening, teleporting them away from Rerir's grasp. The group finds themselves in Silvermoon Hall, where Flins thanks Columbina for saving them. Sandrone is upset at her intervention, claiming that she had the situation under control. Columbina retorts that her recent calculations were significantly off, prompting Sandrone to remind Columbina of the Fatui warrant still out on her head. Not wanting to fight her former colleague, Sandrone leaves with Pulonia. Columbina then explains that she intervened as the Moon Marrow could not fall into Rerir's hands and that the Traveler had done so much for her. Although worried about Rerir's new strength, Columbina does not sense his presence. Flins then asks her if she blocked the bolts that flew towards Hiisi Island, but she tells him that she didn't. As the rest of the group leaves, Columbina clutches her chest, realizing that her strength wasn't returning and that time was running out.

   Rest Beyond Reach In the aftermath of the operation, the group is still unsure as to Rerir's motives, though they rule out the possibility of revenge. As recovery efforts are underway, the Traveler finds Columbina at the roofs of Nasha Town, having heeded their advice to go out for a walk. Paimon is worried given the Fatui warrant, but Columbina knows that Sandrone is uninterested in fulfilling it and the others are too busy to help out. She answers a few of their questions before expressing a desire to return to the moon, where she would find both her answers and "home." Elsewhere, Rerir walks across Nod-Krai when he realizes that someone had been following him for some time. Ordering the person to show themselves, the person is revealed to be Varka, who introduces himself to him.

   “A Nation That Doesn’t Exist”: Hidden in the Shadows Following the restoration of Rerir's physical form, the Traveler and Paimon wonder what his goal is. As they walk around Nasha Town, a Ratnik named Radimir informs them that the Wild Hunt had attacked the town's quarry and Flins wishes to speak with them. When they arrive, they also find Aino, Ineffa, Jahoda and Lauma with him, the latter noting that the area's kuuvahki was completely depleted. Aware that they were barely able to fight him, the group worries that he might be seeking other kuuvahki-rich areas and temporarily separates, though they do not find him there. Reconvening at Hiisi Island, Jahoda dares Rerir to come out, just as an ominous rumble shakes the ground as she finishes her threat. Lauma then realizes that Rerir is attacking Columbina and they head out to save her. Lauma orders Jahoda to take Columbina to safety while the others fight him, but Rerir easily overpowers the group and fires a projectile at Jahoda, who Columbina shoves out of the way and suffers a scrape in the process. She then looks at the Traveler; realizing what she intends to do, they manage to break free of their bindings and touch her hand, resulting in an explosion that allows them to teleport away. Rerir, enraged at their escape, summons the Wild Hunt and orders them to find her. A short distance away, Columbina states that she would be unable to teleport them again due to her fading strength. She agrees with Jahoda's decision to run, but the Wild Hunt spots them. They manage to fend off a large horde of ghouls before a Wolf's Gravestone slams into them. A man then appears, who introduces himself as Varkaand they escape to a secret location. They explain the situation to Varka, who tells them that he and his men were misled to Lake Amsvartnir, though he privately doubts that Rerir was able to act in both locations simultaneously. Knowing they needed to match his power, Columbina suggests finding the last Moon Marrow, the Iridescent Marrow, believing that with all three Marrows in their possession, she would be able to restore her power much quicker. She would require a visit to the Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau and decides to have the Traveler accompany her there. Nefer then arrives and Varka reveals her as the current owner of the Northern Intelligence Network. Despite the threat Rerir poses to the area, she refuses to help, stating she doesn't work for free. Lauma offers to pay her for her efforts, though Nefer doubts that she would be able to pay in full. Jahoda then chimes in and asks her to cut her paycheck, forcing Nefer to reluctantly accept their request. She then asks Flins for the fragments of Rerir's heart and the group separates once more; Aino and Ineffa would build decoys with Columbina's traces on them, Jahoda and Lauma would accompany Nefer while the Traveler and Columbina went to the bureau.

   Special Operation Arriving at the bureau, the three are confronted by Fevroniya and Ozerov, who threaten to call security on them. Sandrone interrupts and orders them to let them pass. Inside, Columbina asks Sandrone if Arlecchino was around, who tells her that she hadn't after the facility was finished. Sandrone, although upset by Columbina's previous intervention, remarks about her past tea parties and agrees to her request. As she tells Pulonia to inform Fevroniya to send a message to Arlecchino, the bureau shakes and they realize that the Wild Hunt is attacking. Sandrone has them leave through a secret passage while she orders her landcruisers to repel the assault. The Wild Hunt manages to breach the upper areas as Rerir arrives. No longer sensing Columbina's presence, he attempts to leave, but Sandrone sics Pulonia on him when he ignores her. As Pulonia moves in to attack, Rerir flicks his hands, instantly incapacitating the automaton. At the Curatorium of Secrets, Nefer brings Jahoda and Lauma to her private room, where she remarks about the job she was forced to take. She asks Jahoda to bring the "shady merchant" she met the other day, intending to cash in a favor. Jahoda clarifies that the merchant was a good person and goes out to get them, revealed to be Dori. Dori pulls out a flower-shaped object from her pockets before realizing Nefer intended to use it. Nefer has her take the deal by allowing a "favor" to be repaid, and she reluctantly agrees to let her have it for three days before charging her. As Dori leaves to get back to sleep, Nefer initiates the ceremony, telling Jahoda and Lauma to follow her instructions. Through the fragments, the three get a glimpse of Rerir's past, discovering his identity as a Khaneri'ahn under Irmin's rule. He was engaged to a woman named Tholindis and his duty was to eliminate descendants of the Crimson Moon Dynasty, though he did not tell her of it. Later, she looks at a glimpse of Tholindis' memory, though she is confused as to how it ended up in Rerir's possession. She then concludes the ceremony, as they had used all the time they had.

   Everlasting As the Moon With the Wild Hunt on their trail, the Traveler and Columbina attempt to escape but are eventually cornered by them at Thunderclap Reef. Suddenly, the ghouls burn away, with Arlecchino being responsible for the rescue. Back at the bureau, Sandrone is busy repairing her landcruisers when Lyney, Lynette and Freminet arrive. She has Freminet assist her in the repairs while ordering Lyney to keep his sister away from the machines; coincidentally, Lynette attempts to interact with one which subsequently collapses. At Thunderclap Reef, Arlecchino remarks on Columbina's weakness before they head back to the secret base, meeting up with the others. The situation becomes tense as they recognize who Arlecchino is, but she explains to them that she is only present on a personal level and tells them she can locate the Iridescent Marrow. Arlecchino brings the Traveler and Columbina to a peninsula between Silvermoon Hall and Hiisi Island, revealing to the Traveler that she's one of the Crimson Moon descendants and learned of her past through Pierro. Columbina explains why they need her help and Arlecchino agrees to the terms before opening a portal to the Iridescent Marrow, warning them to ignore the voices they may encounter. Inside, the Traveler and Columbina explore the domain and successfully retrieve the marrow. The entity sends numerous riftwolves at them and blocks their exit, but Arlecchino forces it open, allowing them to escape. As a result of defying the Abyss, her hands became corrupted. The Traveler offers to purify the energy, but she declines, as it would destroy her hands and states she knew the price. The two then share the power to Columbina before she gives the Iridescent Marrow to her. Arlecchino then remarks on Columbina's growth while Columbina tells her that she hopes that she doesn't become corrupted to the Abyss like Rerir did. Arlecchino tells her she intends to before suggesting to Columbina that she change her name after Rerir was sorted out.

   “An Elegy For Faded Moonlight”: All Is Foretold Arriving at the secret base with Columbina in tow, the Traveler and Paimon catch up with the rest of the group. Flins is in a good mood and reveals that while he was quelling the Wild Hunt, he came across two young men who assisted him in battle, revealed to be Albedo and another mysterious man. Albedo tells him to introduce himself, and the Traveler recognizes him as Mini Durin from Simulanka. Arlecchino soon arrives, though she states that she was simply here to accompany her friend and leaves to talk with Sandrone at the Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau. Back in the base, Varka reveals another person who wanted to help them: Dainsleif, who Paimon introduces to the rest of the group as a noble from Khaenri'ah. While waiting for Nefer to arrive, the group partakes in small talk. Nefer finally arrives and is immediately suspicious of Dainsleif due to his Khaenri'ahn heritage and wonders how he was even alive. Dainsleif asks her to help investigate Rerir's past, explaining how the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah came to be. However, he does not know why Rerir joined them, as he knew he had no grand ambitions of his own. The Traveler then explains their activities with Columbina and Arlecchino. Though all three Moon Marrows are in their possession, Columbina states that it isn't enough to overpower Rerir. After the meeting, the Traveler and Paimon book a room for Dainsleif before meeting with Nefer at the Curatorium, where she reveals to them that they were invited to partake in the operation as Dainsleif was confident they would keep the information a secret. Along with Jahoda and Lauma, they venture into Rerir's past once more, discovering the duties he performed for King Irminbefore suddenly discovering he was to eliminate his own fiancée, Tholindis. This resulted in his next target, Frithr, being spared, as he had become disillusioned with Irmin's directives. Later on, Dainsleif approached Rerir and asked him to help free his brother Vedrfolnir, who had been imprisoned by Irmin for giving him a bad prophecy. The operation would be assisted by the rest of the group; Surtalogi, Rhinedottir and Hroptatyr. While Dainsleif and Surtalogi fought the royal guards, Rhinedottir and Hroptatyr would disable the security systems and Rerir was tasked with breaking Vedrfolnir out. When he arrived, Rerir asked Vedrfolnir if he knew about the prophecy, but he did not, though the two had heard the same voice. Before leaving, Vedrfolnir told Rerir to head to the Universitas Magistrorum, who realized Tholindis was there and in danger. When he arrived to rescue her, he found her standing in front of a portal; she had learned the truth and proceeded to fall into it so he could live a normal life. Rerir fell into despair and wanting to reunite with her, accepted the voice's offer to partake in a power and explaining how he became a Sinner.

   Dance of Death: Serpent and Scorpion With the ritual seemingly successful, Nefer attempts to leave the Curatorium, only to find herself in a desert alongside the others. Immediately realizing something was wrong, Nefer orders the rest to stay with her as they explore the new domain, which reveals Nefer's past as an Eremite who lived in the desert as an adopted child under Sinuhe, the leader of the Shimti tribe. Sinuhe unintentionally caused the tribe's demise to the Iab tribe after taking water from one of their wells, who annihilated the tribe in response to the theft. Nefer later arrived at Aaru Village, where Uncle Anpu had the Sumeru Akademiya invite her after bringing a Mahamata to investigate her talent. In the Akademiya, Nefer learned the truth; the letter her adoptive father had sent was not even acknowledged by them, and she left in order to get revenge on the tribes that killed her family. They later arrive at a temple which Nefer explains she discovered after returning to her hometown and that Thoth, one of the Seven Pillars of King Deshret, resided in. As they approach the entrance, Ashru appears and Nefer strokes him, only for Ashru to suddenly turn into an abyssal entity that grabs Nefer by her throat. More hands emerge to stop the others from intervening as Rerir manifests, proclaiming that she had seen too much and prepares to kill her. But before he could do so, he is interrupted by an unknown attack from above before the group is teleported away. Back in reality, the group finds Columbina and Dainsleif before Nefer's chessbox begins to violently shake. She immediately applies Dendro restraints onto it.

   Echoes of Fate With Rerir temporarily restrained in the chessbox, the group makes preparations for their conflict with him. As the seal begins to break, the group battles Rerir, who expels Lauma, Aino and Flins, as he wishes to settle his vendetta against Nefer for prying into his past. As he charges up a powerful attack, Albedo and Durin set up an alchemical array to siphon his power into Columbina. With the newly converted power, Columbina is able to overpower Rerir and opens a moon gate. Rerir believes Columbina is unable to hold both him and the gate at once, to which the Moon Goddess responds by remarking that someone else does before flicking him into it. To his horror, he discovers Dainsleif maintaining the gate as he is flicked inside and thrown out of Teyvat. As a result of goading Rerir into using his full power, Nefer's eyes are temporarily blinded and she is escorted away by Lauma for treatment. The following day, the group reunites at the Flagship to celebrate their victory. After speaking to everyone present, the Traveler heads to the bureau, finding Columbina having finished a conversation with Sandrone. Sandrone is slightly peeved that the Traveler was coming to check-in on her before she gives them a tea and a notebook to use as a coaster. She then remarks about the Lord-Artificer, who the Traveler recognizes as Alain Guillotin. The name prompts Sandrone to talk about his past, asking what Traveler thought of his actions. After hearing their response, she tells them to do whatever they wanted before beginning maintenance on Pulonia. “A Nocturne of The Far North”: In the Shifting Light of the Moon It's been about two months since the Traveler and Paimon first arrived in Nod-Krai. The party finishes their work with the Adventurers' Guild, with no urgent commissions left, turn their attention to Moon-Prayer Night, the region’s biggest festival. Katheryne explains its origins with the Frostmoon Scions and the Moon Goddess, while Paimon suggests using this downtime to (indirectly) search for clues about the Traveler’s spaceship, following the adage that one tends to find something when not focused on it. The Traveler worries about Columbina (Kuutar), weakened after the fight with Rerir, and about the continued absence of Dottore. They visit Columbina at Silvermoon Hall and learn she plans to return to the moon on Moon-Prayer Night, when kuuvahki energy peaks. If she stays in Teyvat, she’ll eventually cease to exist entirely. The Traveler invites her to join the festival as a farewell before she departs, and she reluctantly agrees despite being wanted by the Fatui, asking them to tell Lauma her answer to staying is “there is no need.” Lauma and Varka, busy preparing for the festival, decide the best they can do is give Kuutar blessings and good memories rather than cling to her or burden her, even as Lauma laments that her own homeland can’t truly shelter her. At the same time, strange phantoms and mirages appear all over Nod-Krai as Moon-Prayer Night approaches. Durin, Albedo, Flins, Nefer, and Jahoda all split the investigation: Durin’s group studies Abyssal-like illusions, while Nefer’s Curatorium chases human phantoms claiming to be from ancient Hyperborea. Jahoda spots a phantom flying ship at Starsand Shoal that matches the Traveler’s spaceship. When the group goes there, Lauma enlists local animals to scout, but they confirm the “ship” phantom is completely impervious and untouchable. Human phantoms around it reenact fixed historical scenes—locals trying and failing to crack the ship open—which Varka likens to an interactive play where you can talk to the actors but can’t change the script. Durin’s side of the investigation shows them visions of Nod-Krai during the Khaenri’ah Cataclysm, including repeated deaths he’s powerless to stop. Flins reveals he’s 600–700 years old and actually lived through those disasters, explaining that what they’re seeing is immutable history and that fate and history are basically fixed. Durin struggles with his own Abyssal nature and whether he should even exist, but concludes that the darkness inside him can also be a source of strength, resolving to seek the truth himself. When everyone regroups, they agree the phantoms are mostly fragmented, frustrating scraps of the past—but at least they’re harmless and won’t interfere with the festival. Lauma and Nefer strike a deal to share Hyperborean records, and the group decides Columbina deserves a special parting gift. Since none of them knows what she actually likes, they unanimously dump that responsibility on the Traveler. Durin is still shaken but trying to work through his fears, while the Traveler and Paimon promise to be there for him as a friend and fellow Knight.

   Ripples That Will Never Reach The Traveler goes to Silvermoon Hall to learn what gifts Columbina might like, but fail to find her. The Traveler and Paimon initially believe she went out for a walk, but when they come back a few days later, still fail to find her. They then notice that the flowers in the hall were extremely pale, realizing that Columbina is losing her power. As they go out to look for Lauma, they run into her, and Lauma confirms she shouldn't even be able to walk in her weakened state. Columbina has disappeared, not physically left. On the way back Nasha Town, a mysterious stall appears — and the “final boss” reveals herself to be Alice, Klee’s mother, in person. She explains the real crisis: the border of Teyvat is destabilizing because the powers of all three moons have gathered in Nod-Krai. She also reveals a devastating truth: Columbina hasn’t left — she’s instead fading out of existence. The world itself is rejecting her because she no longer has a foundation for her existence (no true identity, no accepted name, no divine function). Her Moon Marrow plan won’t work anymore. Alice states two urgent tasks. The first is to find Columbina’s true name. “Columbina” and “Kuutar” were never her real identity, and without a true name anchoring her existence, she will vanish completely. The second is to figure out a way to send her to the real moon, which requires a special connection ritual. She refers the party to another Hexenzirkel witch: Nicole (“Mage N”). Meanwhile, Columbina — now a fading consciousness unable to maintain a physical form — wanders Nod-Krai unseen, watching everyday life with bittersweet longing. She visits the Frostmoon Enclave and Nasha Town, observing people living freely in ways she never allowed herself to. She begins to accept she may soon disappear entirely. The Traveler meets Nicole, who explains ancient Hyperborean attempts to reach the moons and reveals a way to recreate such a gateway through phantom projections and kuuvahki resonance. She’ll search for a suitable phantom to use as a bridge. Nicole also explains that Columbina is fading because the moon goddesses were erased from the world’s natural order, and Columbina has rejected every identity she’s been given — even “Columbina.” Her existence has nothing to anchor itself to anymore. To enter the Hyperborean ruins, three compatible people must undergo three days of kuuvahki infusion, for which fasting will be necessary. After testing many characters, only three are fully compatible: the Traveler, Lauma, and Arlecchino. Varka isn’t compatible enough, though he tries. Others fail due to allergic reactions (Jahoda), being non-human (Ineffa and Flins), or Nicole outright saying “no” (Aino being a child). As preparations continue, Columbina accompanies them and overhears everything. She learns they are desperately searching for her true name and that people actually care about her — but she is now so weak she cannot even pass the entrance to the ruins. Meanwhile, Durin, Albedo, and Wanderer attempt to change a phantom’s fate using Durin’s Abyssal abilities. They succeed partially — for the first time, a phantom remembers them. Alice detects the disturbance and tells them to continue. Finally, the ruins’ gate opens, but Columbina realizes she cannot follow. Her consciousness is nearly gone. She wonders if she can even survive until Moon-Prayer Night. “Melting Moonlight in The Morning Mist”: Where Does Her Name Rest? The Traveler, Paimon, Lauma, Arlecchino, and Nicole explore ancient Hyperborean ruins in search of Columbina’s true name, hoping it will anchor her fading existence. Phantom Hyperboreans appear, but they only speak of the ancient moon goddesses, not Columbina. Nicole explains that those people lived long before Columbina’s time and know nothing of her identity. Inside the ruins, the group uses kuuvahki-powered devices to advance and discovers murals recounting the full history of Teyvat’s three moons: created by Nibelung, later weaponized during his war with the Heavenly Principles, then shattered or cast away until their goddesses eventually died. Because one moon survived the shattering, a faint link to Teyvat remained — the reason Columbina could be “born” at all. They eventually reach the lunar-communication platform that Hyperboreans once used to contact the moons. Nicole tells them this is where Columbina can be sent home on Moon-Prayer Night if they can find her — but they still haven’t learned her name. Nicole then realizes the truth: Columbina never had a true name at all. Her existence has always been unstable because she’s never chosen or accepted a name of her own. But Nicole points out something crucial: a name doesn’t have to come from the past — it can be given in the present. The Traveler calls out the name they’ve always used with her — “Columbina” — and the others agree this is the identity she resonates with. Nicole confirms that the emotional meaning behind a name is what grants it power in Teyvat. Lauma’s antlers illuminate as the festive moon rises, signaling that Columbina can be summoned back. Everyone rushes out to search for her by calling her chosen name. The Traveler returns to Silvermoon Hall — where they first met — and finds Columbina’s fading consciousness. Speaking her name restores her fully, and she reveals her chosen full identity —Columbina Hyposelenia — which means “born beneath the moon.” Reunited with the group, she explains that she had followed them in spirit through the ruins, even when she was too weak to manifest. Her friends all welcome her back, overjoyed that she now has a real name and a stable place in the world. Nicole (appearing through a magical Dodoco projection) congratulates everyone and reminds them that Moon-Prayer Night has begun. Nasha Town has secretly prepared a “welcome home” celebration for Columbina — transforming the entire festival into a symbolic homecoming for the Moon Goddess. In the final cutscene, the townspeople greet her with: “Welcome home, Moon Goddess.” Columbina accepts the gift, touched to finally have a home and an identity of her own.

   The Night the Moon Returns Home On Moon-Prayer Night, Columbina experiences the festival freely for the first time, welcomed home by everyone she meets. Her friends encourage her to enjoy the night at her own pace, and she wanders through Nasha Town experiencing games, food, and small acts of kindness that show how deeply she’s come to belong. She experiments with candy flavors, plays festival games with townsfolk and Fatui alike, shares quiet moments with the Traveler, and even engages in a playful “balloon war” with Arlecchino and Nefer. Everywhere she goes, she’s treated not as a god, but as a cherished friend. Along the way, several intimate encounters deepen her relationships: Flins identifies her “spirit animal” as a free-spirited kuuhenki; Nicole finally gets someone to test the game she made and receives heartfelt gratitude from Columbina; Sandrone reluctantly shows her concern and ends up sharing a surprisingly emotional goodbye through their competitive banter. Alice gives her a whimsical “Dodoco adventure,” and Barbelothperforms a divination that reveals Columbina’s past loneliness, her newfound bonds, and a future of transformation—perhaps ending, perhaps beginning anew. These experiences reassure Columbina that she is loved for who she is, not what she represents. As the night advances, she confesses to the Traveler her fear of losing everything she has just gained. The Traveler reassures her that she will not lose her friends, even when she returns to the moon. Ultimately, Columbina realizes she wants to savor every moment of this final night. After visiting Lauma, she hangs a wish: that all who dwell under the moon find belonging, and that she may see her friends again someday. When the Moon-Prayer Blossoms bloom, everyone gathers. Her friends give her a handmade greeting card filled with drawings and memories, deeply moving her. Columbina then announces her plan to write hidden messages upon the moon using moonlight—messages only her friends will be able to read. As the moment of departure arrives, the people of Nod-Krai offer farewells, blessings, and gifts. Surrounded by affection, Columbina takes the Traveler’s hand, ready to journey to the ruins and return home to the moon, carrying with her the memories of a night where she finally felt truly loved and welcomed.

   Return to the Moon As Moon-Prayer Night begins, Columbina prepares for her departure to the moon. Though uncertain about what awaits her and saddened to leave behind the beings and friends she has grown to love in Nod-Krai, she accepts that this final night is her moment of farewell. At the ancient Hyperborean site where past civilizations once communicated with the moons, the group completes the ritual setup. The Traveler encourages Columbina to return someday, and she promises that the moonlight will always connect them. But when Columbina steps into the beam meant to return her home, Dottore ambushes her. Having manipulated history through “variables” and created a false moon using Hyperborean knowledge, he seizes the power of all three moons and freezes time—leaving only the Traveler able to move. The Traveler battles him but is quickly overwhelmed. Realizing her presence allows him to wield this power, Columbina sacrifices her chance to return home and leaps into a moon gate of her own creation, disappearing into the same unknown realm where Rerir once fled. The incomplete ritual forces The Doctor to retreat, but Columbina is lost, and the Traveler falls helplessly into the sea. After regrouping, the team pieced together what happened: Dottore engineered distortions in the causal structure of the Hyperborean phantoms, altering their memories to extract forbidden lunar knowledge. He then used this information to craft a false moon and hijack the teleportation ritual. Columbina’s escape prevented him from maintaining full control, but she is now trapped somewhere beyond their reach. Everyone feels responsible, especially Arlecchino, who states that if the Tsaritsa will not make a judgment in time, she will abandon the Harbingers’ political restrictions and act in her individual capacity as Peruere against Dottore to rescue her friend. Despite the despair, Varka rallies the group, insisting that if Dottore can stack “variables” to alter destiny, so can they. Allies across Mondstadt, the Hexenzirkel, the Curatorium, the Lightkeepers, and the Frostmoon Scions commit to searching for Columbina and countering Dottore’s plans. Each person steps forward with a role—investigation, research, protection, prediction—forming a united front. Still haunted by Columbina’s sacrifices, the Traveler sits alone where they'd met up with her on the rooftop of Nasha Town, and recalls her last words: that her name—once a codename—became real because of her friends, and that moonlight would always connect them.

   The Empty Courtyard The Traveler and Paimon visit Silvermoon Hall again to check for Columbina, but instead meet Luonnotar and some of the Kuuhenki. Luonnotar seems worried about the Traveler after Columbina’s disappearance and encourages them to not give up, hoping that Columbina will return. This later lifted the Traveler's gloomy mood and they thanked Luonnotar and the kuuhenki for their encouragement. Noticing one of the kuuhenki as being flustered, Paimon suggests that the Traveler play Columbina’s song on the lyre, which lulls all the kuuhenki to a restful sleep, and Luonnotar escorts the pair as they leave them to rest. Outside Silvermoon Hall, they're surprised to encounter a lone Sandrone headed their way, who is thrown off at being discovered there. The Traveler tells her that the Moon Maiden isn't there, which Sandrone, having once again thrown up her emotional walls, admits she expected that and notes that there is no such thing as a free miracle. Paimon offers to walk together but Sandrone declines, telling them she's in a bad mood and won't be good company. She then leaves, with her parting words being that "comfort is the last thing this place needs." “A Traveler on A Winter’s Night”: Moonless Night A few days pass after the Dottore incident. The Traveler arrives at the Curatorium of Secrets in the morning to meet up with the rest of their friends. As Varka begins the rundown, Jahoda stops him and the group is revealed to have sensed a Fatuus and order him to come out. The Fatuus, Gediminas, emerges from his hiding spot, having anticipated he would've been easily detected. He passes on the message that Arlecchino and Sandrone are heading to Dottore's lab in the far north and that they should meet them there. Before he leaves, he gives the map, warning them to be careful and that the Fatui will be their allies if they choose to. Aware of Dottore's ruthlessness, Aino, Ineffa, Varka and Jahoda remain behind to guard Nasha Town while the others make their way to the two Harbingers. With the Traveler ready, the group heads to the facility, finding numerous destroyed Landcruiserswith Arlecchino's flames flickering on them. They head inside, moving past the slain Fatui soldiers and handling monsters in their path. As they continue, they run into a Fatui grunt named Jotautas, surprised to find more tresspassers. He initially refuses to let them pass, but after the group threatens him and the Traveler explains that Dottore could endanger all of Snezhnaya, Jotautas decides to comply with their request, explaining that Dottore was building something ambitious and that he had been preparing for a long time. He had returned with two "gemstones" of some sort, which Lauma realizes are the Moon Marrows he stole from Columbina. Upon mentioning her name, Jotautas reveals that he originally served in the unit assigned to Columbina in Nod-Krai and that she got along well with Dottore at first, but then began to avoid him as time passed; when she left the Fatui, her subordinates were brought under Dottore's command and learned that he was trying to make an artificial Moon Marrow. Lauma asks if he would serve her again, but he declines, stating that she's not a Harbinger anymore, his loyalty is to the Tsaritsa, and that he was telling them this because he did not trust Dottore. The Traveler thanks him for his cooperation and directs him to the Design Bureau to seek safety there with Sandrone's unit. The revelation of an artificial Moon Marrow worries the group and they continue further in. At the heart of the facility, they find Dottore, who had anticipated their arrival. He informs them that Arlecchino "disappeared" as soon as she stepped foot in the facility, while Sandrone had confronted him over his actions. Since he knew she had only cared for herself at first, he wonders if the Traveler was so influential to cause people to have a change in personality, which he found troubling. The Traveler asks where she went, so he obliges with their request: Sandrone had confronted Dottore and said that his ascension to godhood was too far, and he counters that it was a fact and not a claim, before stating that he was sending his people to her, which she realizes meant that he'd sent his troops to possibly attack the Bureau. Though Sandrone warns him that he was violating the Tsaritsa's orders, he waves it off as performing another experiment. He states that he would give all a chance, including her, and the frustrated Sandrone had decided to turn back to the bureau to check on the safety of her unit. The group fight Dottore; midway during the fight, Arlecchino joins in, but their combined efforts are mostly for naught as Dottore, armed with the artifical Moon Marrow, is able to simply restores his injuries. Realizing the battle is hopeless, Arlecchino tells them to leave, while she faces Dottore down alone, but he captures the Traveler and teleported the rest of the group away.

   Where Our Space and Time Intersect The Traveler finds themselves back in Nasha Town at the Speranza, though they quickly notice many of the residents are acting strangely. Realizing something was wrong, they ponder on their next action when Dottore speaks to them. Remarking that they must not like the atmosphere, he proceeds to change the venue with a gesture. Elsewhere, Columbina wakes up and finds herself in a strange space before realizing she must be in the moon's reflection. She is surprised to find herself still alive, since Rerir and his fianceé Tholindis were presumably killed when they entered it. As she is unable to escape, she decides to conserve her power and explore the space. She finds a glowing mark and uses her powers on it, causing a golden circle to appear. She continues forward and finds a blooming flower, entering it and finding herself in a memory of Moon-Prayer Night. Finding that it gives her strength to continue, she explores the area, reminiscing about her time with Barbeloth. She discovers a kuuvahki pulse and, touching it, realizes the pulse is able to manipulate past events; in this case pulling the "Death" tarot card from the deck which she had drawn that night during the festival. As she wonders what else she could interact with, an unknown force pulls her from the memory back into the moon's reflection. Back at the Curatorium, Paimon is horrified to learn of the Traveler's capture and is worried for their safety. Arlecchino vows to rescue them and states that Dottore had used his artificial moon to replace the Frost Moon in the sky. As he is not rejected by Teyvat, she states that once he has control of all three moons, he will gain Teyvat's primordial power and become unstoppable. Additionally, Nefer reveals that strange spaces are emerging in Nod-Krai and assumes that it is Dottore's doing. Arlecchino becomes further agitated by Dottore's actions, as she sees it as treason of the highest order against the Tsaritsa by becoming a god and that not even her words would stop him if he obtained the power of the moons. As Paimon begs them to rescue the Traveler, Nefer tells her that they need to set a plan first as Sandrone comes in. She tells them that the bureau was swallowed up by one of the energy fields. She then has everyone that went into the facility scanned by Pulonia, discovering that they were all "cursed" by Dottore, who mocked them in the message he'd encoded with the curse. She states that they should be fine unless they attempt to leave Nod-Krai, which would result in the curse kicking in. Since the Traveler is a Descender, which the Harbingers are well aware of, she and Arlecchino presume that Dottore would not kill them off just yet. Durin then arrives and informs them that more energy fields have appeared across the land. Varka states that alongside finding the Traveler, they also needed to evacuate everyone from the islands. Arlecchino suggests Snezhnaya as one temporary refuge while Paimon agrees to help her, being well-connected from her travels. At the moon's reflection, Columbina decides to reenter the space in the hopes of altering history. As she returns to Nasha Town, she finds the town bare of the festivity decorations. Although she does not recall ever visiting the town outside of Moon-Prayer Night, she decides to try her luck if she could influence anyone. Seeing the Traveler and their companions, she comes to the conclusion that this memory is from before Moon-Prayer Night, when Columbina had iniitally dissappeared. She taps the Traveler's shoulder, getting a response, though they fail to sense her. Recalling the events afterwards, she realizes that this is what made the Traveler seem to notice Columbina back then, which had encoutaged her to follow them and discover their plan of bringing her back during Moon-Prayer Night. Columbina wonders if she could influence the Traveler before she is sucked back into the moon's reflection. Nonetheless, she resolves to try her best to inform the others of Dottore's upcoming actions. Elsewhere, the Traveler finds themselves in an empty void before Dottore appears with a strange object on his back. He tells them that it is a Trilune, which holds the Moon Marrows. While he analyzes the Traveler's traits, the Traveler becomes irritated and asks what he wants. Dottore reveals that he wishes to work with them, seeing how they had done the same with the other Harbingers in the past. The Traveler decides to play along for the moment to learn of his motives and asks what he could provide for them that others couldn't. Dottore forces them into a seat and shows them his perspectives of life, wondering why life was restrained by rules set by the gods. He reveals that he's aware of their journey and offers to bring it all to an end in an instant. Although the Traveler is aware he's trying to manipulate them, they do note the various truths peppered in them, along with a desire to see their sibling once more. At the curatorium, the group prepares for the immense evacuation task at hand. Lauma would handle the Southern Isles and Hiisi Island and help them toward Natlan, while Arlecchino and the Fatui would handle everything north of the design bureau and have those evacuees head for Snezhnaya. Aino and Ineffa would help with the evacuation efforts, while Nefer asks Jahoda to assist Lauma as she has to handle intelligence work. Dori decides to return to Sumeru to inform Nahida, while Varka asks Durin to return to Mondstadt to likewise inform Venti. Albedo would remain behind to work with Sandrone with his alchemy expertise. Before they are able to leave, Nicole arrives, telling them that Alice has roped every Hexenzirkel member apart from her to handle the situation at the border. She gives each of them a special Dodocommunication Device to allow them to talk over long distances before she also leaves. Outside, Flins approaches Illuga and informs him of their meeting. Illuga agrees to handle the evacuation but wonders why Flins would not leave with them. Flins informs them that he was "cursed," leaving the young man furious over who would curse him. Flins reassures him that he'll return and they could make up for lost time. Before he leaves, Illuga asks Flins if he isn't human, though Flins feigns ignorance. Illuga tells him that he'll be asking him again once the situation is over. Columbina tries a third time to influence reality from the moon's reflection, hoping to leave behind a clue this time and use as little power as subtly as possible so she wouldn't be immediately thrown out of time. She arrives at the Flagship, where Nefer and Flins were conducting their own investigation. As they talk about their reasons that Columbina is still alive, they hear a sound behind the door leading to the accommodations, discovering a vase Columbina had accidentally broken when she was teleported in. She manages to phase into the Traveler's room and leaves behind a message in kuuvahki on a wall as Flins and Nefer enter the room. Though they fail to sense anything, they recall that Columbina would have sent them messages that could only be seen in the moonlight. Columbina then realizes that she is travelling backwards; in the present, Nefer grabs a cup and throws it at the grimy window, allowing moonlight in to reveal Columbina's message. Although it was too late to have helped them with the Rerir situation, they know she is still alive and head out to inform the others.

   Tracing the Footsteps of the Past Flins and Nefer inform Albedo and Sandrone of their discovery before returning to their respective work. Nefer looks through the Traveler's belongings that Paimon had organized to search for clues, while Sandrone has Pulonia bring her reference material about a "world-formula." Wondering why Dottore needed the Traveler, she combines Rene and Alain's research in order to discover the truth. North of the bureau, Arlecchino is informed about the status of Sandrone's subordinates. She has them incorporated into her own before meeting up with Childe. Learning what was going on, the Tsarisa was having Fatui Internal Affairs investigate Dottore's actions. Suddenly, one of the Fatuus turns into a monster, forcing the others to put him down. Childe is surprised by the revelation, while Arlecchino believes it was one of Dottore's experiments to showcase his new powers. Childe then tells her that the Tsaritsa had given Arlecchino and Sandrone clearance to kill Dottore should they decide that he proved to be a threat, which pleases her. He then asks about the Traveler, and she tells him they were captured by Dottore. Childe wants to rescue them immediately, but Arlecchino stops him, explaining they don't currently know where they are, but that Sandrone was working on it. The best thing he could do was to complete his current mission to escort refugees to Snezhnaya, and he begrudgingly agrees. Before he leaves, she asks him to tell Pulcinella to warn the other nations of the threat. Outside one of the energy fields, Durin meets up with Albedo, having returned from Mondstadt. Albedo believes that the energy field is pure Light Realm energy and tests his theory by using his Geo powers on it. The barrier cracks slightly, and he asks Durin to use both his normal Pyro and abyssal energies on it, which creates a larger crack. Albedo then addresses the Wanderer, telling him he can come out, to which the latter emerges and replies that he didn't want to interrupt Albedo's train of thought. He asks the Wanderer to strike the energy field with Anemo, and an even larger gap emerges. Albedo and the Wanderer go inside to investigate, while Durin remains outside to stand guard. As they go in, they find many human bodies lying around along with an animal next to them. Albedo finds this odd, but because they're unable to communicate, they continue further inside. They soon realize that the animals and human bodies are a part of a twisted experiment done by Dottore, having swapped the humans' minds into the animals. With the research concluded, they leave the energy field and Albedo informs the others of their discovery. After Albedo's report, Nefer tries to delve into the Traveler's mind by using their Adventurer's Handbook as a medium, but doing so causes Dottore to recognize and detect her. Before he could do anything to her, Nicole cuts off her connection. When the Traveler comes, too, Dottore apologizes, as he had knocked them out for over a month when he meant to do so for only a few moments, admitting that he still needs to master his control over the power of time. He muses on how the Traveler doesn't seem to "understand" humans, noting that humans would react differently to being imprisoned for extremely long periods of time as opposed to the Traveler. He then asserts that the Traveler's long life and status as an "alien" to Teyvat means that they will never be fully accepted, and claims that they have been treated "most unfairly", before offering to restore the Traveler to their rightful status as a Descender. Elsewhere, Columbina heads into another portal and finds herself at Starsand Shoal before Rerir regained his physical form. As the cannon prepares to fire, and the Traveler summons the kuuvahki shield she'd taught them to use, Columbina is alarmed to realize that lethal levels of kuuvahki would strike the Frostmoon Scions on Hiisi Island. Recalling Flins asking her about the mysterious shield that had protected the Scions, she realizes it was her present self that was responsible and rushes in that direction. Pleading for the Frost Moon and the kuuvahki of the land to help her, she expends most of her power creating the massive kuuvahki shield in time and collapses. She dreams of a memory with Sandrone in Snezhnaya talking about their pasts before she comes to back at the moon's reflection. She opens another portal and finds herself at the Final Night Cemetery, where she uses her powers to move some of the books in the Lightkeepers' library that they needed. Before she is thrown back into the reflection, she spots Luonnotar, who can see her. Back at the moon's reflection, she realizes that the familiar presence she's felt near the Traveler with each trip into the past was actually Luonnotar. She enters the final portal, returning to when the Traveler and Paimon were heading to Hiisi Island after reuniting Ineffa and Aino. Realizing what she needed to do to inform her friends, she creates Luonnotar with a part of her soul and has her trail the Traveler to help them when the time came, with the immediate second instruction of leading them to Silvermoon Hall so they could meet her past self, "a little lost dove", for the first time. “True Moon”: The First Sliver of Moonlight Back in Dottore's realm, Dottore asks the Traveler if they would agree to his offer. The Traveler refuses to kill innocents, not wanting to become like Rerir, so Dottore lowers the requirements. The Traveler refuses and attempts to backstab him, but Dottore survives and finds their decision disappointing. He overwhelms the Traveler, but the fight distracts Dottore enough for the Wanderer to crack the dome with an alchemical signal and come to the Traveler's aid, rescuing them from the Doctor's clutches. The Traveler asks him how he managed to find them and is surprised he gave up his chance to get revenge on Dottore to save them. He admits that everyone needs them, and they return to the curatorium with them in tow. Everyone is delighted to see them, and the Traveler fills them in on what they learned from Dottore. Nefer then informs them that Columbina was still alive, and the group decide on how they could rescue her from a space that flowed backwards. Nicole then appears and tells them about the origins of the Moon Sisters. Back in the moon's reflection, Columbina remarks on how long she had walked before she discovers Rerir. As he stands up, she erects a barrier, but Rerir, now sounding quite sane, insists that he has no interest in fighting. He admits that her plan to siphon his power was ingenious, and he managed to recognize an old friend. Although he recalled the first time he entered, his second visit was one where he found himself still intact, which he believes was a result on his new body and the kuuvahki he absorbed. She asks if he was responsible for the abyssal energy, which he partially refutes, as some of it was already here when he came. He rejected it, and by doing so, the voices in his head disappeared. He managed to spot Tholindis, but assumed she was an afterimage as she was an ordinary person and must of surely died long ago as he did. He then asks why she came, knowing it was a dead end, and she explains that she did so to protect her friends. He then asks about her powers, telling her that the person who resurrected him told him as such, which Columbina realizes is Dottore. Dottore had revived Rerir and had long planned his revival to coincide with Columbina's weakness. Rerir asks Columbina to send a message to Tholindis on his behalf, as unlike her, he was unable to move as freely. Columbina agrees to send the message, and Rerir removes the obstacles in her path, admitting that he was sick of running away from everything and covering it up with lies. Columbina then tells him that Dainsleif was remorseful for not understanding what he went through, which Rerir appreciates, and he asks her not to die. Columbina heads to Tholindis and tells her everything about Rerir, which she agrees to hear. Tholindis admits that she wanted to stop Irmin from meeting the Traveler's Sibling, though she was too weak to do it herself. She explains her past as a moon marrow researcher and had theorized that the moon's reflection could allow her to go back in time and change her past mistakes, but her body was immediately torn to shreds when she entered, only leaving her soul behind. She tells Columbina that the golden threads would allow her to travel faster, and as Columbina departs, Tholindis forgives Rerir and hopes they could spend time together once more, such as it was, even as they were separated by their positions in time. As Columbina continues trudging towards the past, she finds herself unable to continue. Suddenly, a strange woman appears before her. In the curatorium, the group decides on their next course of action while hoping Columbina would be able to return to them, as she would be the only one who could stand up to Dottore despite him having overpowered her earlier on. As the group dismisses, the Wanderer beckons the Traveler for a private conversation. He wonders why Dottore had not made a move and has two theories; either he had to learn the extents of his power, or he wanted to see how the group would react. He also tells them that Nahida would inform the rest of the Seven of his threat and could help contain part of his chaos for a time. Finally, he asks them how much they trust Sandrone, and the Traveler states that she's a part of the group. He believes there's a way to stop him but there would be a huge cost, and he decides to speak with her about it. Inside, Sandrone gives Albedo some notes to analyze before Durin asks where the Wanderer went. Sandrone brings them to another room, where the Wanderer is in a hibernating state. She reveals that he and the Traveler approached her earlier with him offering his core to help compute her equation straight into the Ley Lines. While dangerous and possibly resulting in him being reset or even lost forever, he was aware of the risks and agreed to help nonetheless. While Sandrone and Albedo return to their discussion, the Traveler and Durin watch over the Wanderer's body. Columbina recovers and discovers the person before her is Sonnet, the youngest of the Three Moons. Sonnet in turn states that she has a similar power to Canon, and Columbina introduces herself to her. Sonnet then asks about the future, which Columbina is hesitant to answer, though Sonnet admits that they knew what was coming and were prepared for it. The other two sisters, Canon and Aria, look at Columbina, who asks them where they were. They tell her it is the prison in which Nibelung imprisoned them in and explain about their creator and the Heavenly Principles. Columbina tells them what happened to them after the war, and while they accepted it, they resolved to help Columbina rather than talk about regrets. Sandrone initiates her array and from the discoveries, realizes that she might've gotten it all wrong by accounting for the moons to be alive or dead. Despite her efforts, the array continues to provide three moons, and she wonders what was going on. While the rest of the group was wondering how to bring Columbina, Sandrone informs the rest of her discovery, telling them that she did something inconceivable in the past, but the moon in Teyvat's sky would provide the clues they needed. Columbina asks her elder sisters if they had ever tried to leave; Sonnet tells them they did, but they were always brought back to the prison no matter what they tried. She then asks if they used kuuvahki, though none of them knew what that was. She demonstrates, though they are still confused and tell her that the power must've not existed during their time. The sisters then realize that Columbina not only wants to escape, but also borrow their authorities in order to stop Dottore. They caution her against it, as it could tear her to pieces, and even then, the prison would not let her leave alive. Columbina then asks if she could leave while dead. Nefer realizes that through Luonnotar, they could see Columbina's past, but Lauma warns her against it, as looking so far into the past would leave her blind with no way to cure it. Nefer accepts the risk and entrusts the curatorium to the reluctant Jahoda, according to a past agreement. Lauma makes preparations, and Nefer delves into Luonnotar's mind, while in the past, Columbina affirms her plan to return to the present with the help of her sisters. She tells them that she left a part of her soul in the future and would "die" in the prison, dispersing her physical body into moonlight across the Nod-Krai of the past, to be reconstituted at a signal back into reality in the future. The three sisters agree to help Columbina, reassured that the people of the future live in prosperity. Before they start, Canon asks Columbina why her eyes were perpetually closed, as the sisters hadn't wanted to pry beforehand. Columbina explains she did so to avoid the lies that she'd seen everywhere she looked, from the false moon to what others only wanted from her. Canon tells her that doing so might have spared her from the false truth, but she also missed out on genuine truth at the same time. She makes her swear to open her eyes in the future to see the world and the true smiles of her mortal friends as they transfer their powers to her. Doing so makes them mortal, so at their request, Columbina transports them back to the real world so they could face the end together at their point in the timeline, before she "dies" to send herself back to Nod-Krai. Jahoda is shocked to view the memory while Nefer was spared from the cost, which Lauma attributed to Columbina taking it on her behalf. Arlecchino informs them that all civilians in the area were evacuated, so they could fight Dottore without any repercussions. Outside, Varka speaks with Nicole and asks if their agreement could be changed to Nod-Krai, as they needed to stall Dottore to bring Columbina back. Nicole admits that she and Alice were willing to help them and tells him of their plan, which Varka is pleased with.

   Descending Moon The Traveler catches up with Sandrone, who adds an additional channel to the Dodocommunication Devices that will track her progress towards completing the world-formula that'll be used to bring Columbina back to Teyvat. They then talk to their friends in Nasha Town, who wish them luck for the upcoming battle. Dottore's minions arrive to besiege the town and the group separates to handle them. The attack is repelled and Dottore confronts them, pleased to see they were still alive to witness the power of Teyvat's new "creator-god" firsthand. He then assumes a new form as the "Heretic of the False Moon", before tearing open a large gash in the false sky and teleporting everyone to a massive arena in the clouds. He then turns his newfound power on the Traveler, Flins, Lauma, and Nefer. While the four put up a good fight against him, Dottore transports all but the Traveler to separate extradimensional spaces, one by one. After musing on their futile attempts to bring Columbina back and the connections between him, her, and Sandrone, he offers the Traveler a final time the chance to work with him, giving them a count of ten until he blasts them to oblivion. But before that can happen, Pulonia attempts to dropkick him from behind, forcing him to teleport away. Dottore laments that Sandrone wasted her one chance to charge right into the lion's den, deciding to finish her quickly and put a stop to the formula she's in the middle of calculating. Pulonia charges at Dottore again, but is quickly outmaneuvered before being disabled by a hail of pillars. As Dottore insults Sandrone's work, she and the Traveler launch a joint attack, only to be summarily overpowered and left at his mercy on the ground. Getting no volunteers for the first to be executed, Dottore launches multiple spikes at the Traveler, disarming them, before using a final one to deal the killing blow. However, Sandrone intercepts the attack, and the weapon instead impales her through the abdomen. A surprised Dottore pulls the weapon and Sandrone with it back to him, and, grabbing her by the neck, asks for any last words. She remembers how Alain once asked her if there was anything she wanted, to which she thinks that she's always been sure of what she didn't want. Smiling in response to Dottore, she simply tells him to "go to hell" before the mad Doctor fries her heart and throws her corpse behind him. With Sandrone's world-formula permanently stuck at 90%, Dottore mocks his opponents' failure. He then reiterates his offer to the Traveler, but is met only with furious silence. Dottore, believing himself to have all the time in the world, decides to shift the topic to Sandrone, and how her inability to trust had become her downfall. The Traveler, knowing what she had contributed to their cause, refutes him and throws his line of thinking back at him, but Dottore simply shrugs it off, knowing it would change nothing about their predicament. But to his shock, the formula continues to advance, and the Frost Moon appears beyond his opening in the false sky. A flashback reveals that Sandrone's formula would handle establishing a connection to Columbina, approximately 90% of the work. Then, she'd bring the output to the Traveler, with the remaining 10% simply requiring that the moon be brought down by any means necessary. Despite Dottore's best efforts, Arlecchino, Varka and Nicole successfully pull the moon into Teyvat, shattering the false sky and finalizing the formula being processed by Wanderer's Irminsul core hidden inside Pulonia. Columbina's corpus (the moonlight over Nod-Krai) and spirit (transmitted to Luonnotar) merge with the Trilunar Authority hidden on the Frost Moon, and the Trilune Goddess unfurls her wings and opens her eyes for the first time, before descending to the battlefield. Together, the Traveler and Columbina slowly overpower Dottore, before reclaiming the Iridescent Marrow from him. Columbina uses it to free Flins, Lauma and Nefer from their containment, and the five launch a final assault on Dottore, knocking the Eternal Marrow out of his grasp. Finally, Columbina launches a massive beam of lunar energy on Dottore, overcoming his artificial Moon Marrow as it cracks and shatters, vaporizing the heretic. With the long battle finally won, Columbina, the Traveler, and their friends gaze triumphantly into the orange sky in front of them. However, Columbina sees her friend Sandrone's body at the edge of the arena, rushes over and somberly cradles it in her arms.

   Welkin Moon's Homecoming In the aftermath of the battle, the Frost Moon remained within Teyvat, while the people slowly return to Nod-Krai. A new League is established as a joint effort between the many factions of Nod-Krai. As life returns to normal in Nasha Town, the Traveler and Paimon get some food before being greeted by Jahoda. At the town plaza, Aino and Ineffa volunteer to help distribute food on behalf of the Frostmoon Scions, while Flins speaks to Illuga about the new League, the former encouraging the latter to take up a position as the Lightkeepers' representative. Tarno gives the crowd a speech before everyone parts ways, with Nicole wanting to speak to the Traveler. She tells them that the disturbance at the border was handled, but the disaster has caused Teyvat to become more easily detectable by the Abyss. Before she leaves, she tells them to head to the port to see their friends off. There, they find Arlecchino and the Wanderer, who were waiting to return to Fontaine and Sumeru, respectively. They iterate that Sandrone had fooled Dottore by placing the real formula in Pulonia and a false one in herself, even though it meant her death. After Columbina had mourned alone with Sandrone's body for a long time saying her goodbyes, Arlecchino tells the Traveler that per Sandrone's verbal will to her long ago, Arlecchino would bring both her and Pulonia's cores to the Fontaine Research Institute so the people there could set her affairs in order, while she would inherit some of her personal effects -- her notes included -- that she'll store at the House of the Hearth, with a single book delivered to the Traveler's room at the Flagship. Sandrone had also mentioned that Columbina was not to know of the matter, which Arlecchino would not speculate on, only that it was her final wish to be carried out. Arlecchino adds that to her surprise, Columbina offered her words of comfort even as she was grieving herself, and credits the Traveler's friendship with the goddess's personal growth. On a lighter note, the Tsaritsa revoked the Palestar Edict, Columbina's arrest warrant, now that the truth of Dottore's intentions was revealed to her. Arlecchino's ship arrives, and she bids farewell to the two, while the Wanderer asks the Traveler if they were going to meet with Columbina. He tells them that no matter what happens, their friends will support them. He then leaves for Sumeru to help Nahida handle the havoc Dottore caused. On Hiisi Island, the Traveler meets up with Columbina, while Paimon remarks that she usually doesn't meet with them outside Silvermoon Hall. Columbina has taken Lauma's suggestion to live with the Frostmoon Scions, and while the older generation is a bit timid around her, the children are less so and are curious. She hopes that such relations will be much more normalized by the next Moon-Prayer Night, and she'll be able to openly attend as herself. The Traveler takes the time to return her friends' greeting card that she left behind while escaping into the moon's reflection. As Columbina opens a portal to their ship, she reveals that it was placed on the Frost Moon by the Heavenly Principles, either because something was incompatible with Teyvat or something they did not want known. The two head to the spaceship, during which Columbina remarks about the people she met on the way. The Traveler and Columbina then arrive at the Frost Moon, where the Traveler inspects their spaceship. The Traveler is hesitant to enter, but does so with Columbina's guidance. While she sits down on the hull and gazes at Teyvat, the Traveler looks through the flight logs and discovers that the ship had passed by Teyvat once thousands of years earlier and continued on its way until it returned, and they were forced to crash-land at Nod-Krai. From what their sibling told them, they believe that they might not know what happened either. After telling Columbina all this, The Traveler recalls an outfit they left in a cabinet and dons it to show to Columbina. She then asks them if they thought of Teyvat as their home, which they confirm, even if it ended up being different from what they knew. Columbina thanks the Traveler for showing her what a true home meant and reveals to them that she gave the Eternal Moon Marrow to Lauma and the Iridescent Moon Marrow to Arlecchino. She would give part of the Frost Moon back to Nod-Krai in the form of kuuvahki before giving the Traveler a special gift by removing some of Teyvat's restrictions on them, allowing them to use the elements more freely. Columbina gives them a special Moon-Prayer Blossom before deciding to gaze at Teyvat for a while longer. The Traveler asks Columbina a few questions about Snezhnaya, the Fatui, and the Tsaritsa before they return to Teyvat. Columbina explains that Snezhnaya is not just a land of natural frost; every major city is built around a massive heat source known as Kresnik's Torch. She describes sensing their "grand and distant" energy, which powers the nation's advanced infrastructure and keeps the population from freezing. She warns the Traveler that they need to be careful with other Harbingers like Jester, Regrator, and Rooster. Both Regrator and Rooster despise each other despite getting along in public, and she is unsure how power is split amongst the three. Columbina describes the Tsaritsa as being crystal clear yet unfathomable, like ice atop a frozen lake. She also mentions the term 'Mistilteinn' often used in conjunction with Project Stuzha. Meanwhile, at the Speranza, Varka writes a letter to Jean telling them what happened in Nod-Krai, while informing her that the expedition would be returning to Mondstadt in waves in order to make his own return home a surprise. He expresses his concerns towards the Tsaritsa about her grand plan, even though he managed to form a temporary alliance with a more benevolent Harbinger, Varka still remains vigilant about Rooster, Regrator, and Jester because he is aware of the Fatui's disunity. “As All Fall To Emptiness”: Where Flowers Awaken The Traveler and Paimon stop by the Nod-KraiAdventurers' Guild, where Katheryne hands them a letter from Collei, beginning a flashback sequence from Collei's perspective. Collei was writing in her diary, describing her current, peaceful life and her plans to go shopping in Sumeru City with Tighnari. Just then, someone told her it was time to leave, but the voice was not Tighnari's — it was Sethos'. After playing along with what she initially thought was an unusual prank, she soon discovered that the identities of everyone in Sumeru City were switched around, with herself as the only person who acutely remembered how things originally were. She eventually found Tighnari, but even he failed to remember the truth and did not recognize her at all, causing her to break down in tears. Tighnari's voice woke Collei and she discovered that she fell asleep while writing in her diary. Just as she was about to dismiss these events as a mere dream, an unknown voice — Nicole's — spoke into her mind, telling her that this was a premonition of things to come and advising her to recount the dream to Nahida and the Traveler. After reading the letter, the Traveler and Paimon immediately set off for Sumeru City, where they find the entire city preparing to move. Collei and Tighnari explain that after learning of the dream, Nahida and the new Sages of Sumeru Akademiyaordered the immediate evacuation of the entire rainforest's population to Caravan Ribat, having sensed that an unknown danger was approaching. Upon learning that Nahida invited them to visit her in the Sanctuary of Surasthana after their arrival, the Traveler and Paimon go to pay her a visit. They are initially stopped by Mu'tasim, who is high-strung due to Nahida's "very vulnerable state." Concerned, the two immediately head inside and find Nahida hovering inside a Dendro field, with several important figures including Alhaitham, Cyno, Cyrus, Naphis, and Wanderer nearby. They learn that something is preventing Irminsulfrom recording and processing information, creating a bottleneck which affects the ley lines' functions; if this continues, new information would go unrecorded and recorded information would be thrown into disarray, causing people's memories and cognition to become warped. This reminds the Traveler of Capitano's decision to store his people's souls within himself, and of the catastrophe that would occur if all nations were affected. To try and handle the backlogged information, Nahida personally took over Irminsul's recording and processing functions, despite the physical and mental strain it placed on her. Wanderer discovers that Irminsul was not being attacked from the outside like originally suspected. Cyrus and Cyno speculate on the origins of the problem, with Cyno noting that a suspicious number of "merchant caravans" recently entered Sumeru through Bayda Harbor. Wanderer, however, believes that resolving Irminsul's current situation is far more pressing than trying to figure out the cause. Just as he says this, the Dendro field dissipates and Nahida collapses, unconscious. With her breathing weak and elemental energy levels dangerously low, the group turns to their backup plan: move Nahida to Caravan Ribat along with everyone else, so her connection to Irminsul weakens enough to allow her to recover. As they set about finalizing the move, Cyrus bemoans that the situation seems to be moved according to the whims of an "invisible hand." Meanwhile, in the Great Red Sand, a Fatui military detachment heads towards an unknown destination. A hooded man tells his subordinates that disrupting Sumeru City is a "necessary step" and that the Irminsul situation would not harm them, alluding to a certain client of theirs. Afterwards, he muses on the nature of Visions and why some may have powerful ambitions yet fail to receive one.

   A Divergence Leading to Oneself At Caravan Ribat, Cyno and Tighnari solemnly discuss Nahida's health and the complications caused by her interconnectedness with Irminsul. Naphis and the other five sages arrive, and Naphis introduces them to the Traveler and Paimon: Baladhuri (Vahumana), Alkindi (Spantamad), Firnas(Kshahrewar), Shakir (Rtawahist), and Rushd(Haravatat). As the sages discuss their next course of action, Rukh Shah arrives to inform them that some civilians tried to return to Sumeru City, only to be affected by the Irminsul anomaly around Yasna Monument, descending into psychosis and killing one another. By the time he and Cyrus reached the scene, only two of the original twelve were still alive. Cyno, Alkindi, the Traveler, and Paimon decide to meet up with Cyrus while the others continue their discussion. At Cyrus' location, the group finds Tawfiq still in a maddened state, while Cyrus turns their attention to an abnormal Ley Line Blossom nearby. Sekkuraexplains that more had blossomed further up ahead, ascertained by Vision-bearing mercenaries. Cyrus, Cyno, and Alkindi begin dissecting the Ley Line Blossom, while the Traveler, being unaffected by Irminsul, decides to continue scouting further ahead. Seeing a group of Fungi reminds them of how they and Nahida revitalized the Dendro Dragon Sovereign Apep's Heart of Oasis using the Fire Seed, and believes it could be used to restore Nahida's Dendro power without relying on Irminsul. Upon returning to Caravan Ribat, Cyno, Alhaitham, Kaveh, Dehya, and Sethos give them an update on the current situation. The Ley Line Blossom dissection showed that Irminsul can still be connected to from the outside, which has led to a new plan: Restart the Akasha System, which was originally created to cleanse Irminsul of Abyssalforbidden knowledge. However, they needed a substitute for the Dendro Gnosis originally used to power it, so the scholars and sages would head to the Temple of Silence to search its records and find a suitable alternative power source, while the Eremites would take the civilians further west to Aaru Village to avoid the Irminsul anomaly. As for Nahida, the Traveler gets permission to seek an audience with Apep and takes the still-comatose Nahida to the center of the Desert of Hadramaveth, where Apep already awaited them, having sensed the Irminsul anomaly. Apep is convinced to assist Nahida as repayment for Nahida's past actions and takes them to the Heart of Oasis, where she begins sharing her Dendro energy to Nahida. Her reminder about Nahida's connection to Irminsul prompts the Traveler to ask Apep about her own relationship to Irminsul, who tells them that Irminsul was among the many things the Heavenly Principles usurped and repurposed from ancient dragonkind. Apep then senses a disturbance from outside, identifying the sandstorms as the work of the Jinn, and tells them that Nahida would be safe with her. Just as Apep is about to send them back, Nahida briefly regains consciousness and sends a flower-shaped key to the Traveler. Upon touching it, the following information enters their mind: "The statues of the gods hang inverted from the heavens, but one alone is unique among them. Its location is □□□□□□□. Remember, tell no one." Apep drops the two off outside the Temple of Silence, where a massive sandstorm caused by the Jinn blocks the entrance. Alhaitham speculates that the sudden influx of Jinn relates to the ancient city of Gurabad, which sparks the Traveler's memories of Liloupar, and they decide to split off from the others once more to search for her. Inside the temple, they are simultaneously attacked by Jinn and the Fatui, and they find strange machines further into the ruins. After disabling them, the hooded man appears before them, calling himself Dottore's subordinate and stating that he is here to carry out the fallen Harbinger's will. While the Traveler does not fall for the man's first ambush, they discover that they played directly into his hands after he traps them inside the ruins. When questioned why he continues following Dottore, the man states that it was less a matter of "following" and more a matter of "friendship," and that he and Dottore both wished to create a set of rules for the world. With that, he departs, but not before triggering a dark, all-consuming wall that begins closing in on the two. Meanwhile, at Aaru Village, Tighnari, Collei and Dori are guarding the northern entrance from a Jinn attack. Dori comically tries to get her Jinni partner, Plumpy, to negotiate with the Jinn, only for Plumpy to be beaten up instead. Dori attempts to avenge Plumpy, only to get knocked unconscious right next to Plumpy. Tighnari and Collei then engage in battle against the Jinn, although Dori quickly rouses and joins the fight. After fending off the first attack, Baladhuri and Firnas inform them that the southern line has collapsed. Before the group is forced to make a difficult decision, Nicole's voice reemerges in Collei's mind, offering her assistance. Under Nicole's instruction, Collei recites a prayer written by Nabu Malikata, which causes the Jinn to submit to her. It is quickly proven that she alone is capable of this, for reasons unknown to the others. Back in Gurabad, the Traveler and Paimon are still stuck in the same room, having failed to break the barrier to the next chamber. Jeht and Benbenoverhear the ruckus and emerge on the other side, disabling the barrier. After escaping the ruins, the two parties catch up with each other, with Jeht informing them that she settled their old grudge against Tanit elder Masseira.[1] Although Jeht is unenthusiastic to hear that the two are searching for Liloupar, she goes with them to Safhe Shatranj, where they unlock the entrance to Gurabad and find Liloupar nearby. Liloupar awakens and explains what happened after she descended into Gurabad, which involved fighting against the Abyss up until Gosoythoth's defeat in Natlanquelled the Abyssal forces in Gurabad as well, allowing her to fall into a deep slumber. After learning about the current situation in Sumeru, Liloupar pacifies the Jinn and stops the sandstorms. The group then moves to reunite with the others.

   Ancient Shadows Re-Emerge With the threat contained, the group heads to the Temple of Silence, reuniting with the others. Kaveh and Alhaitham greet them and are filled in on what happened by the Traveler and Paimon. Jeht goes to talk with Dehya, while the group fills them in on their plan. Kaveh also reveals that two women from Nod-Krai also came to help, revealed to be Nicole and Nefer. Nicole explains that they had come just before they would have been locked out, explaining that a barrier has appeared around Sumeru, preventing anyone from entering or leaving the nation. She clarifies that this was one of the ley lines' means of defense to isolate Irminsul from the rest of the world, and convinced Nefer to come help. The group begins to make preparations to head to Aaru to look for an item called "Aaru's Shut" to begin their plan. Nicole introduces herself to the group, and her voice causes Collei to realize she was the one who had been helping her. She agrees to answer her questions in a secluded spot, but to her surprise, most of them have also followed suit. Nicole reveals that the god remains that Dottore had injected inside her were actually from Nabu Malikata, surprising everyone present. Cyno reassures her that no matter how many fragments are in her, she'll still be who she is. As the Traveler makes their way to the Great Hall of Truths, they run into Firnas, who asks Nicole about her sculpting skills. Nicole manifests a squirrel from thin air and the three scholars are amazed by it, calling Faruzan over. Faruzan suggests adapting the sculpture's stance to a heroic pose and matching it with the first one. She quickly bonds with Nicole, though the others agree to keep Nicole's angel identity a secret from her for now. Entering The Mausoleum of King Deshret, the group investigates Aaru's Shut and run into Thoth. Liloupar is amused by the situation the three are in while Naphis calls for order and asks the three if they could help the Akademiya in return for their freedom. Thoth quiets Heryshaf and Sobek before asking Nefer about the question he gave her, since her submitted answer was false. Nefer reveals the answer she gave him wasn't what Deshret wanted, but was her own, and she clarifies the answer to all three questions as "time." This causes the three to be released and regain their true forms. Cyno apprises the three Pillars of the situation. They ask if they're willing to accept the risks, which Cyno confirms, and thus they agree to help. Heryshaf calls the two other Pilars, King Deshret's constructs Shesepankh and Bennu. With Cyno's entreaty as Hermanubis' representative, and Apep already helping Nahida on her own volition, they declare the Seven Pillars to officially be in agreement to open Aaru. As Aaru opens, one of the first souls that comes out is Jebrael, who is pleased to see Jeht's growth and is deeply gratified for the chance to see her one last time before dissapating into the form of a Sacred Ibis and returning to the Ley Lines. Nefer asks if they have the technological capabilities to modify Aaru, and Naphis tells her that the scholars are making their way to the mausoleum. “Truth Amongst The Pages of Purana”: Darkness Looming The scholars promised by Naphis arrive, with Kaveh giving a draft to the Seven Pillars. Although Bennu is upset by Alhaitham's lack of respect, Sobek and Thoth convince him to let the grudge go and he gives Kaveh Aaru's mainframe, warning them to use it with great caution. As they examine the structure, Thoth appears and asks them if they knew about the link between the Aaru and the Akasha. Thoth then reveals the purpose of Aaru and instructs both Kaveh and Alhaitham to close their eyes as he does the same and recites a chant, allowing them to see more of the structure. Kaveh discovers several obelisks and Alhaitham translates them. Most of the information is not useful, but they do discover that the parameters meet their plan's requirements. Outside the mausoleum, the Traveler takes a walk as Sobek explains to them about Apep and her relationship with Deshret. The Traveler then wonders if they should go pick up Nahida, but as they say this, Apep arrives to drop Nahida off. Apep tells them that she was accosted by some "lowly insects" tugging on her tail on the way and threw them off. After Nahida regained consciousness, Apep told her to fix the Ley Lines and Irminsul; if she had any ill effects, she would hold her accountable, stating that it would not be a pleasant experience. Nahida reassures her that she'll resolve the situation as they arrive at the mausoleum. Apep warns the group not to disturb her unless absolutely necessary and she leaves. Before the group can do anything else, Sorushappears with a group of Aranara in tow; the Pari is overburdened and suddenly falls from the sky, but the Traveler dives beneath them and safely catches the group; they had been the hangers-on that Apep had found annoying. The Traveler then fills her in on recent developments as they bring their newly arrived friends inside. The Aranara are terrified at the sight of so many humans as some approach, revealed to be the Traveler, Paimon and Nahida. The Aranara reassure Nahida that their home is staying strong in the face of all the calamity, while Arabalika informs them that they saw two suspicious Nara at Caravan Ribat. Nahida entrusts the two to investigate before telling the Aranara that they would have to reveal themselves to the humans. She tells them that if they get too nervous, they could call her name. Nahida heads to Aaru's Shut, where she informs them that the state of Irminsul meant that their plan would not work. Alhaitham then states that there's a new plan that calls for desperate measures. Back at Caravan Ribat, the Traveler arrives with Nefer and Wanderer. Cyno learns the situation and Nefer agrees to smoke the spy out, given that very little know of her. Posing as a lost merchant, Nefer approaches the suspect, Qanafiya of the Corps of Thirty, and convinces him to assist her by claiming to peddle illegal antiques. As they leave the outpost, Cyno intercepts them, confiscates the coin and then interrogates him, learning where the next meet-up was. Wanderer is tasked with scoping the spot out, and Paimon decides to accompany him, which he begrudgingly allows. As they approach the spot, Wanderer asks Paimon what's on her mind, seeing that she never leaves the Traveler's side. Paimon admits that she's been feeling useless in recent events. The Wanderer softens and tells her that he has known exactly how she feels now, and she had two options: to stay where she was or keep moving forward. He then realizes that the contact has not shown up even after waiting for so long and becomes uncomfortable with a realization, so they head back to the mausoleum. At the mausoleum, Nahida thanks the Seven Pillars for their assistance and reveals that the attacker entered Irminsul through death, something which she could not have defended against, as the only security measure she could have had was to block free access to the Ley Lines for all souls. Heryshaf remarks that the attacker seems oddly familiar, and as he finishes his sentence, a great rumbling can be heard and a massive tree emerges in Sumeru City, revealed to be an Irminsul tree. Nahida states that the tree's emergence is a sign of unbridled greed and that a deranged experiment has advanced to a new stage, with the tree's emergence being tied to Dottore. Wanderer also shares his thoughts on the matter, and Nahida invites everyone to discuss their new plan. Kaveh and Alhaitham would continue on the project, Cyno would provide material support, Wanderer and Sethos would deliver said materials, while Dori, Faruzan, Collei and Nicole would work on an energy amplifier. The Traveler would head to the border between Natlanand Sumeru, while some of the group would accompany Nahida to the Eternal Oasisafterwards.

   A Tower Unto Wisdom and Folly Cyno, Sethos and Wanderer dismantle several Primal Constructs, including an Algorithm of Semi-Intransient Matrix of Overseer Network and bring the components to the others. Kaveh and Alhaitham discover a chessboard, which the trio explain that solving the trials will allow them to override Aaru. The two successfully clear the trials, and Alhaitham asks them if they could increase the range, which they agree to. The Traveler arrives at the sealed-off border and wonders what was going on as Mauvika arrives on the Natlan side and states the same. Through a manifestation, Nahida greets Mauvika and explains what was going on to her, apologizing for calling her on short notice and that Nicole hadn't passed on anything specific for a reason. She explains how Dottore had direct access to the knowledge of Irminsul through the Ley Lines and they couldn't let their meeting be recorded: thus, she had sent only the Traveler, who could not be recorded, and was transmitting her mind through them, while Mauvika was connected to the Night Kingdom instead and couldn't be recorded as long as she was in Natlan. She asks if they can claim ownership over her Pyro Gnosis, as the situation has become too dire to simply borrow it. Mauvika admits that she'd always wondered about the possibility of handing it over to someone that needed it more, and though she probably would have agreed to just Nahida alone, doing so directly to Natlan's Tumaini certainly made things easier. She wonders how she was supposed to get it to them, but the Traveler, as Nahida had hypothesized, simply walks through the barrier, another facet of being unaffected by Irminsul. Wondering how they would pass back through with it, the Traveler recalls their mastery of Pyro and absorbs the Gnosis, then walks back into Sumeru with no issues. Mauvika speculates that their mastery of Phlogiston is what allowed them to resonate with it. Asking for no further details in the interests of tactical security, she wishes them luck. Before the day of the operation, everyone makes their final preparations and shares thoughts with their friends and acquaintances.

   Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana The following day, the Traveler meets up with Nahida, where the plan was revealed to overload Irminsul with the Akasha System to force a shutdown. The plan starts and everyone taps into the Akasha, successfully overloading Irminsul and preventing the tree from growing further. Dottore, inside Irminsul, finds the attempt amusing, claiming that he has enough time to carry out his plans. Nahida then asks the aspects to bring her to the Eternal Oasis, and Thoth asks Nefer for the use of the chessboard he gifted her, revealing a new function. Back in Sumeru City, a Fatuus informs the mysterious man that appeared at Gurabad that their spy was captured. The man acknowledges the loss and is revealed to be Pantalone, the Ninth of the Fatui Harbingers. Pantalone informs Dottore that his last backup is placed into the Ley Lines and that they are now even for the fees he paid. Dottore reminds him that his life, ever since they met, was thanks to him. Pantalone states that nothing would have gone wrong after one of his Segments was held in Northland Bank and finds it amusing that he holds his original in such disdain, even as a copy. Dottore states that his original paid a price and erases his uniqueness, rationalizing that none of them are truly him. Dottore reminds Pantalone of his past, though he dismisses the matter. Pantalone also informs him of his other half's crushing defeat in Nod-Krai, while Dottore brushes it off as he got what he wanted from its death. A Fatuus then informs Pantalone that people are approaching the city, and Dottore asks him to stall them as long as possible. Cyno, Dehya, Candace, Jeht, Rahman and Ranafight their way into the city as a distraction, while Tighnari, Wanderer, Paimon, and the Traveler infiltrate directly upwards through the branches and platforms of the Divine Tree to the Sanctuary of Surasthana. Meanwhile, the distraction group run into Pantalone (in his disguise), who tries to stall them. Cyno realizes that it's a fake and throws his polearm at Pantalone, revealing it to be an immaterial decoy. Well outside the city grounds, Pantalone hoped that his decoy gave enough time, but Dottore tells him that they're at his doorstep. The Traveler and Wanderer enter Irminsul, while Paimon goes to catch up with Tighnari to help Cyno. Wanderer activates the console, bringing the two back to Irminsul's depths. The Traveler tells Wanderer that they will be leaving together and to not pull any self-sacrifice moves for the greater good, to which he agrees to. They navigate through the system but soon fall into a trap. Fortunately, Nicole transmits her voice from the Eternal Oasis and guides them out of the maze, but Dottore tries to crush them with a wall of pursuers. When it seems that the coast is clear, Nicole is suddenly cut off and Dottore emerges in-person, revealing that he knows Wanderer's erased identity as Scaramouche, shocking both. Dottore reveals that he figured out the truth when he first encountered Wanderer in Nod-Krai, having connected the dots from his odd placement in history all the way back to Scaramouche. He reassures that he has no intent to restore the information that was erased, but taunts the Wanderer that his past regrets would not ever be absolved. The two sides begin duking it out, and it is revealed that Wanderer would distract Dottore while the Traveler inserted Nahida's trinket to the Ley Lines. Nahida and the others begin the extraction of the world's information from Irminsul and redirect it to Aaru; as the weakened Dottore declares that they'll pay for interfering with his experiment, Nahida inserts herself into Irminsul from the Eternal Oasis and blocks his attack. As Dottore finds the battle tiresome, he sends the three plummeting into Irminsul's depths. Nahida summons the Pyro Gnosis to her from within the Traveler and activates it. Invoking her right as Irminsul's keeper, Nahida finds herself with the three Shades: Ronova, Istaroth and Naberius, who ask Nahida if she is certain she wants to destroy Irminsul, as it was what she stood for. Nahida tells them that Irminsul is corrupted beyond recovery, and since it ultimately existed to protect humanity, humanity's survival, and herself as one of their protectors, should supersede Irminsul's priority. Naberius agrees that Nahida has become "a great tree" herself, so the loss of another tree is nothing to fear, and the three Shades grant Nahida permission to do so. The powerful flames of the Pyro Gnosis are ignited and engulf the roots of Irminsul. As the trio prepares to leave, Dottore forcefully attempts to drag the Traveler down with him, but is stopped by his other segments, who vengefully drag him into the flames to his death while Wanderer rescues the Traveler and follows Nahida out of the burning Irminsul. Dottore recalls his creation, the other Segments, Zandik and his meeting with Pantalone, who agreed to his terms. Outside, Pantalone catches up with Dottore, witnessing the burning of his Irminsul tree. Dottore, knowing the burning tree meant his death, asks Pantalone how he intends to live longer as his supply of elixirs will dwindle with no one to make them. Pantalone is not too concerned about the particulars of his death, but he admits that Dottore was a rare talent. Dottore considers the experiment concluded as he fades away, bidding farewell to Pantalone as his real name, Feofan. Telling him that wisdom can be turned into an inferno if needed, Nahida bids goodbye to Dottore, noting that they will never meet again.

   Your Past Is Like a Garden With the crisis resolved, the people of Sumeru go about rebuilding and returning to their normal lives. Sethos, Dehya and Candace part ways at Caravan Ribat, while Nahida, Cyno and Layla speak to Thoth and Heryshaf about their current situation, with the two aspects deciding to remain in the Temple of Silence for the time being, though they refuse the idea of moving any of their own statues inside, believing that it would be rude to Hermanubis's memory. Alhaitham and Kaveh return to their home to repair the damage done during the fighting. Dori laments over taking a monetary loss to help save Sumeru in front of Nefer, who also reunites with Katayoun. Collei is promoted to full Forest Ranger, while Tighnari reveals that she still needs treatment for her god remains. The Traveler and Paimon enjoy a meal at Lambad's Tavern before catching up with Nahida and Wanderer at the Sanctuary of Surasthana, where Wanderer's growth has left lasting impressions on Nahida and the Traveler. He then leaves to handle various errands in the city, while the Traveler asks about Nahida's condition. She tells them that the Pyro Gnosis took seven days and nights to burn the corrupted Irminsul, and the reconfigured Aaru has safely taken over its role in collecting and storing information, with no lasting damage, as the situation was contained before it got out of control. Nicole also transplanted her reliance on Irminsul to Aaru, so there would be no health issues for her either. Naphis then arrives with a letter from Snezhnaya, which Nahida reads. She sums up that Pulcinella apologizes to her for the trouble Dottore caused, reminds her how he had also dealt a blow to the Fatui by killing the Harbinger Sandrone, promising to punish his subordinates, and had already sent relief supplies onward to Sumeru. Naphis and Nahida agree that the letter is diplomatically airtight and that they do need to keep an eye on what Snezhnaya does in the future. Naphis then asks about the feasts, and Nahida agrees to join as long as there weren't any tomatoes, as his friends kept talking about them. Nahida then asks the Traveler to accompany her to Natlan to meet Mauvika at the Stadium of the Sacred Flame. Mauvika is aware of the reason for their visit and Nahida reveals that the Pyro Gnosis disappeared without a trace. Having felt the moment that it happened, Mauvika accepts the loss, and the four lie on the grass of one of Natlan's cliff tops to bask in the sunlight. Two days later, Collei, Tighnari and Cyno take a trip to Mondstadt, with the Traveler and Paimon arriving with Sucrose and Albedo, preparing their usual trip. They catch up to Nicole at the library, who reveals that a friend wishes to meet them. They head to Windrise and discover Liloupar there, whom Nicole had helped to travel there. The jinn asks Collei if she wishes to have the god remains removed from her. Collei agrees, wanting to live a normal life, and Liloupar is glad to hear those words, explaining that she can finally 'reunite' with her creator and die in peace. She absorbs the fragments and fades away, while Nicole is happy to grant wishes for her friends. Sucrose also arrives with Amber, who was surprised she wasn't invited. Collei claims that she said goodbye to her old self and remarks about her new growth.

   Inazuma Story/Chapter 2: “Prologue: Autumn Winds, Scarlet Leaves”: A Path Through the Storm While overlooking Liyue Harbor, the Traveler takes a moment to stop and think over the recent revelations about their sibling and the Abyss Order. Paimon comforts and encourages them to keep going, and the Traveler regains their resolve to look for and confront the Unknown God and demand answers. They try to brainstorm over ways to get to their next destination, Inazuma, when they remember the one person they've met who is Inazuman — Atsuko.

   They head back to the harbor to ask Atsuko how to get into Inazuma. While she is able to give them an answer, she also warns them of the danger of the trip. She explains that the storm is not the only thing to worry about, as they will also have to worry about the strict isolationist policies and the authorities who will be hot on their trail if they're discovered. When the Traveler refuses to be swayed by her warnings, she relents and refers them to Beidou, who may know how to break through the storm owing to her vast experience on the seas. Wasting no time, the Traveler heads to Guyun Stone Forest where the Alcor, The Crux Fleet's flagship, is anchored.

   Arriving at the ship, they find Beidou with an unknown man. Beidou recognizes the Traveler, having heard of their exploits from Ningguang and introduces the man as Kazuha, a temporary crewmember. She mistakenly assumes that the Traveler has approached her to join "The Crux Clash," a Vision-less martial arts tournament she holds for renowned fighters. When Paimon explains they're not there for the tournament, she tries to encourage them to join anyway by revealing that the prize for this tournament is a Masterless Vision provided by Kazuha, who hopes that the tournament winner will be able to reawaken it. However, the Traveler is not interested in the Vision, and is only looking for a way to get to Inazuma. Hearing that, Beidou changes gears and decides to change the prize — if the Traveler wins the tournament, they will be able to choose between two prizes, the Masterless Vision or a ride to Inazuma on the Alcor. The Traveler finally agrees, and heads to the arena to sign up.

   At the arena, Paimon suggests they scope out their initial competition before signing up. However, after speaking to a few other contestants, they realize they won't have much competition. With newfound confidence, they head to the desk where a member of the crew, Zhuhan, is in charge of registering the combatants. She is shocked to see the traveler who helped Liyue fight off an ancient god joining the tournament, gathering attention from the other competitors and spectators. After proving that they don't have a Vision and listing a few of their achievements so far for the sake of formality, the Traveler is finally registered and ready to fight the first round.

   The Crux Clash The first opponent, Jinyou, is easily no match for the Traveler, even without the use of their elemental powers. Beidou, impressed with their skills, states that since putting them in, more people are coming to join, hoping to face off against them. She decides to put them straight through to the semi-finals so that they don't need to waste their energy on fights well below their skill level.

   The next opponent, Rongshi, is more of a challenge and the Traveler barely prevails against him. After he's defeated, Rongshi explains that he had no interest in the prize, and instead joined to pit himself against other strong fighters. He humbly accepts his defeat and even asks the Traveler to spar with him again in the future.

   Rongshi is unable to tell them much about their next opponent other than that they are fast and nimble, so they decide to ask around. Unfortunately, they don't learn much and decide to go to Beidou for more information. Beidou only reiterates their opponent's speed, but Kazuha offers to give them more information if they follow him to a quieter place to talk.

   Once there, Kazuha reveals that he already knows about the Traveler's ability to harness the power of the elements without a Vision. As the Traveler is unable to answer his questions about how he is able to do so, he instead tests their skills by having them fight some Slimes. After the fight, Kazuha assures them that their opponent's speed will stand no chance against their skill, and gives them more tips about their opponent's fighting style. After telling them a bit more about Inazuma and the Electro Archon, they go back to the arena to await the final match.

   Follow the Wind At the arena, the final match is about to start, but the challenger is a no-show, much to Beidou's irritation. Kazuha then senses something is wrong and the group checks on the box displaying the Vision, only to discover it missing. He offers to look for it since it was his responsibility. The Traveler accompanies him and Kazuha reveals that he knows where the culprit is going and who they are.

   The culprit is Fei the Flyer, a Treasure Hoarder, who is surprised they managed to track him. He reveals that he signed up at the tournament and had intended to win fair and square, but after seeing the Traveler defeat Rongshi, he knew he had no chance in beating them. Initially refusing to hand the Vision, he fights them, only to be bested. Kazuha threatens to kill Fei, but after nothing happens, he changes his mind and lets the Treasure Hoarder leave, confiscating the Vision.

   Kazuha reveals that he had been aware of the theft all along and hoped that Fei would have been able to resonate with the Vision, as the gods typically grant them to those who prove great strength and resilience. He then asks the Traveler to do so, but they are unable to either, so Kazuha hangs onto it. Paimon asks him why he is so obsessed with the Vision, and Kazuha reveals that when the Raiden Shogun enacted the Vision Hunt Decree, his friend, another Vision bearer, challenged her, only to die in the ensuing duel. Kazuha, who had just arrived and witnessed the final moments of the duel, snatched the Vision and fled from his pursuers, hoping to keep the hope alive that his friend had. He had heard rumors of Masterless Visions reawakening in his travels, and as such, was looking for someone to do so.

   Returning to the arena, the two learn from Zhuhan that Beidou was summoned by Ningguang regarding the tournament, and is filled in on the details by Kazuha. By default, Fei is disqualified and the Traveler is crowned the champion. Kazuha warns the Traveler that the journey to Inazuma will be treacherous, even more so once they set foot in the closed nation. He also tells them that the Alcor needs to resupply for the trip and that they will be notified once ready; in the meantime, he intends to travel across Liyue to see if someone can reawaken the Vision, hoping the two of them will have enjoy their journeys.

   “The Immovable god and The Eternal Euthymia”: Setting Sail Wondering on the status of the Alcor, the Traveler and Paimon head to Katheryne at Liyue's guild branch. And just then, Sea Drake arrives, having been sent by Beidou to tell them that they are ready to set sail. Katheryne says her farewells, but tells them that she would be waiting for them at Narukami Island.

   Beidou disembarks with the Traveler and Paimon at Ritou before being greeted by Thoma, her business partner. The Captain leaves the pair to his care since she can't stay around for too long with Kazuha on board, who is still a wanted fugitive. Thoma later helps them pass the processing center to avoid suspicion given the impossible request and the ridiculous amount of Mora.

   After processing, Thoma explains that there are some inspectors who try to increase the price of processing as much as possible for outlanders, who cannot leave the nation due to the Sakoku Decree. As such, the foreigners formed the International Trade Association to survive. He also learns they intend to meet with the Raiden Shogun, stating that he can help them do so, but in turn they will need to help out others first, starting with the said association.

   Confessions of an Outlander Thoma's friend and the President of the Trade Association, Kurisu, is surprised to see new outlanders, and explains that since he and the foreigners have been stuck in the port, the Kanjou Commission has been bleeding them dry with absurd taxes. They originally had to pay Mora, but they suddenly changed it to Crystal Marrow, which almost none of association had heard of. Even worse, their attempts to look for it cause the item to skyrocket in both taxes and price from the only source available, leaving them in danger of homelessness. The Traveler offers to assist, with Kurisu accepting as they aren't affiliated and as a newcomer, the vendor might drop his guard.

   The merchant, Werner, realizes they were sent by the association and refuses to negotiate. Returning to Thoma, he tells them that Werner hails from Mondstadt and found a "patron" after leaving the association. Giving an item from both Mondstadt and Liyue, the vendor gives in to his emotions and admits that he is playing a scheme by Keijirou and his companions; they buy all of the Crystal Marrow and give it to him, who sells the excess back to the association at profit and the cycle repeats; despite his role in the plot, he is barely paid. Tracking him down, they spot Keijirou burying a ledger. Werner tells them to send it to Kurisu, as he is too afraid to confront the President.

   Keijirou demands payment from the association when the Traveler and Paimon arrive and expose his wrongdoings. Cornered, the corrupt officer offers to give his spare Marrows to keep the case quiet, but Harrison, angered at the injustice, demands more and calls the commissioner by name, prompting a passing Katsuie to order the merchants arrested. Before that could happen, Thoma intervenes and hands them a card from the Yashiro Commission and displays a peculiar ornate fan, making Katsuie decide to drop the incident to avoid having a problem with "her".

   Taking them aside, Thoma explains that he is actually an attendant of the Kamisato Clan, taking care of the clan's eldest daughter, Kamisato Ayaka, the Shirasagi Himegimi. Ayaka has heard of their feats and is expecting their arrival, hoping that they can change the tides — the Vision Hunt Decree. Although the Traveler is uninterested in helping, insistent on pursuing their goal, Thoma agrees to help them meet the Electro Archon anyway and ask to meet him at Komore Teahouse. After he leaves, the pair remembers that they still can't leave Ritou, but as Thoma was unlikely to have forgotten that, they believe it must be part of the test.

   Ritou Escape Plan Since they still need a travel permit to leave Ritou, Paimon suggests they head to the Kanjou office to meet with the Commissioner, Hiiragi Shinsuke. Upon arriving at his residence, he walks out and notices the Traveler. Hiiragi agrees to help but only after the Traveler agrees to complete an unbearable request; the Traveler initially is flabbergasted and finds it too strenuous, but after spotting a woman behind Hiiragi who silently nods her head, the Traveler agrees to think about it.

   Leaving the office, they secretly receive a letter through a bodyguard from Miss Hiiragi asking to meet late at night. Chisato asks them to deliver a letter to Kujou Kamaji of the Tenryou Commission and reveals that a few days before their arrival, an arrogant-sounding woman arrived and conspired with her father to keep the Traveler on Ritou. The following day, she heads to a supply convoy and uses her position to force the two escort guards to accept the Traveler as her bodyguard. On the way, they fight off bandits, and arriving at the destination, Chisato returns to Ritou, wishing them luck and reminding them to bring the letter to Kamaji for their permit.

   Three Wishes Arriving at the teahouse, the pair are greeted by Thoma inside, who pulls a prank on them by pretending to be the dog Taroumaru. Thoma apologizes for the test, as it was necessary, if they can "change the lightning." Thoma promises to bring them to the Kamisato residence after they visit the Statue of the Omnipresent God, still under construction.

   There, Thoma explains about how the Raiden Shogun declared the Vision Hunt Decree and that the "gems" embedded on the statue are the seized Visions. The Traveler touches the statue and suffers a headache as they hear the aspirations of the Visions' owners, surprising Thoma and Paimon. Later at the Kamisato residence, Ayaka greets them while concealed on the other side of a screen, having anticipated their arrival. She hopes that the Traveler would assist in the fight against the Shogun, but they again refuse. Having been informed already by Thoma, Ayaka is not surprised and so compromises with them, promising to bring them to the Shogun if they visit three people who had their Vision confiscated from them.

   The Meaning of Meaningless Waiting At the first location, Konda Village, the Traveler finds an old couple, Mahiru and Kenjirou trying to persuade a younger man Tejima not to leave. Inquiring the man, Tejima was a samurai who become Visionless. With his Vision gone, he has had trouble remembering why he stayed at the village for so long and is intending to leave and become a wandering samurai. The pair offer to help refresh his memory, which he accepts. They find a paper that explains why he stayed at the village; to wait for his lover, but she never came. After the events, Tejima then chooses to remain in the village to wait for her, although wondering if she would ever come.

   To Treat the Well-Meaning Well The next person is a samurai of the Tenryou Commission who had their Vision confiscated, found in Inazuma City. As Paimon wonders why the Shogunate would take action against one of their own, they hear a commotion breaking out. Two men are accusing a samurai, Kurosawa Kyounosuke, of withholding emergency rations from them. He had originally given it to them on request, but now is withholding them for no reason.

   Speaking to the samurai, he tells them that despite enforcing the Vision Hunt Decree, he was told that he had been "slacking off" to the point that he even disappointed the Raiden Shogun, causing him to lose his Vision. He had forgotten what he had done every month, and is not even aware of the rations themselves. Just recently, he was pursuing some Treasure Hoarders when the men had stopped him and asks the Traveler to track them down, believing they would have stolen the rations.

   They find the Treasure Hoarders nearby, who are commenting over their recent plunders. After beating them up, Tadao tries to recruit them, but the Traveler refuses and inquires about Kurosawa. Tadao states that Kurosawa's house had nothing apart from a box, which he offers in return for his and his men's freedom. Opening the box, they are surprised to find that it only contains IOUs, all addressed to a Miss Aoi of Tsukumomono Groceries, and the Hoarder gang leaves.

   Heading to Aoi, she tells them that Kurosawa always bought foodstuffs regularly from her store to give to the people, even taking on debt to ensure their well-being. She also recalls that he has a prized sword which she would have gladly accepted as payment for his debts, but he had declined. Returning to Kurosawa once more, he learns the truth and explains the history of his sword to them. He also threatened the rioting men with his sword, even though he felt himself unable to go through with the act, and is troubled that he cannot be good or bad, wondering what to do.

   A Swordmaster's Path Is Paved With Broken Blades With the second person dealt with, they head to the final client, a swordmaster known for the Meikyou Shisui Art who is also in the city. Outside the dojo, they find two disciples worried about their sensei's well-being. The Traveler make a ruse that they had come to learn from their master seeing that the disciples were wary beyond reason. Junya apologizes, stating that with all the trouble recently, he is on high alert. Their sensei, Domon, is believed to be possessed and is recovering, explaining his history and that he took a turn for the worse when his Vision was taken. As such, they have hired shrine maidens from the Grand Narukami Shrine to exorcise the demon possessing him.

   While the exorcism is in motion, Paimon spots a suspicious person nearby and the Traveler pursues them. The man is surprised they caught up so fast, believing Domon had improved their skills in the past few years. He reveals himself to be Anzai, the oldest disciple of his sensei in the art until Domon surpassed both him and their master. When he heard Domon had lost his mind, he came back to see if the rumors were true — to his surprise, Domon called out for him. He then tells them to head back to the dojo as he suspects the ritual is about to end.

   The exorcism has ended, but the maiden, Inagi Hotomi, had not sensed any demon possessing Domon. However, she is unsure if another form of demon has possessed him, and tells them that Lady Yae has taken notice of the unusual case. She tells them to come to the shrine tomorrow and leaves. At the shrine, Yae inspects Domon and states that he is not possessed, much to the disciples' surprise. The Vision gave Domon immense aspirations, and when it was seized, the gruesome fact that he had destroyed the aspirations of his past deeds, rushed back into him, turning him maniacal. Anzai then walks in, much to Domon's surprise and tells him that he had accepted the fact that his aspirations were gone and had "passed" them to Domon. Now that Domon's aspirations are gone, he urges them to pass it to his disciples, who are still willing to learn from him. Domon eventually realizes the meaning behind Anzai's words and promises to, thanking Yae for her help with his disciples before leaving.

   Yae then speaks with the Traveler, having anticipated their arrival, albeit premature — nonetheless, she mysteriously states that she has high expectations for them and they better not disappoint her. Paimon then suggests they return to Ayaka.

   A Flower Blooms In Prison Ayaka introduces herself in person this time and explains the reasoning to why she sent them to three former Vision bearers — having seen the suffering firsthand, the Traveler finally agrees to help. Heading to the teahouse, Ayaka explains about the resistance's actions. One of their operations, creating fake Visions, was halted when the craftsman responsible for making them, Master Masakatsu, had been arrested. Ayaka wishes to break him out, but cannot risk either herself or Thoma to lead the operation — therefore, the Traveler would do the job. She states that there will be more people willing to help and sends them to the Naganohara Fireworks.

   There, they find members of the Tenryou Commission threaten a Vision bearer. Before the Traveler could intervene, a young woman grabs their attention. Paimon scolds her for not letting interfere as the samurai take the Vision, but minutes later learn that the samurai had been fooled by a ruse, as the Vision bearer thanks her for passing along the fake that was just confiscated. The woman, Yoimiya, is known throughout Inazuma for her fireworks — despite this, she was not exempt but managed to elude confiscation of her own Vision due to Masakatsu's craftsmanship. Yoimiya learns from Paimon that the two were sent by Ayaka to break Masakatsu out.

   Arriving at the police station, the Traveler and Yoimiya enter through a backdoor, upon which she leaves them to finish her "gift". The three eventually arrive at the main holding cell where the guards are torturing Masakatsu. But before they can do anything, Kujou Sara comes in, checks on Masakatsu and then reprimands the guards for torture. She soon hears Yoimiya's footsteps and orders the guards to investigate. Yoimiya then sets off her "gift" to distract the guards as they rescue Masakatsu. Sara then spots them in the act but allows them to leave as Masakatsu needs urgent care, but warns the craftsman that she'll bring him back in when he's recovered.

   Yoimiya and Masakatsu thank the Traveler and Paimon, who then return to the teahouse to inform Ayaka of the good news. Thoma also states that the Tenryou Commission has been tasked with a "ceremony" of sorts and suggests they spend the next few days relaxing, which Ayaka accepts. After having a hot pot "game", the group separates.

   “Stillness, The Sublimation of Shadow”: Amidst Stormy Judgment The Traveler and Paimon return to Komore Teahouse to learn about their next operation with Kamisato Ayaka and Thoma. However, they discover that Thoma is not present, with Ayaka arriving shortly after with news that the Tenryou Commission has taken him to the Statue of the Omnipresent God to become the one hundredth victim of the Vision Hunt Decree, which will be commemorated by a public ceremony where the Raiden Shogun will make a personal appearance. With hardly any time left before the ceremony begins, Ayaka is willing to storm in alone to rescue her friend. However, the Traveler and Paimon remind her that she cannot personally intervene without endangering the neutrality of the entire Yashiro Commission, and convince her to let them rescue Thoma instead.

   After witnessing the Traveler use Electro powers without a Vision, the Raiden Shogun steps in, declaring the Traveler to be "an exception," which she deems to be "the enemy of eternity." Brandishing her might, the Raiden Shogun pulls the Traveler into an alternate dimension. The Traveler proves no match for the Raiden Shogun and is quickly incapacitated. Before she can finish them off, Thoma distracts her and escapes with the Traveler and Paimon. The Raiden Shogun orders the Traveler's arrest, vowing to "strike twice" next time.

   In the Name of the Resistance Now wanted criminals, Thoma tells the Traveler and Paimon to take refuge with the Watatsumi Army, which is leading a resistance against the Vision Hunt Decree, while he takes refuge in Komore Teahouse, safely within Yashiro Commission territory. Because the Resistance's whereabouts are secret, the Traveler has to find it themselves. While making their way westwards into the warzone, the Traveler and Paimon come across a lone Resistance soldier named Teppei surrounded by Shogunate troops. They rescue him and he readily agrees to take them to meet General Gorou, the Resistance's commanding officer. However, he warns them that the Resistance is at a disadvantage, as the Shogun's Army has the powerful Kujou Sara's leadership.

   During their meeting with Gorou, the Traveler impresses him with their feats at the Vision Hunt Ceremony, and they are readily welcomed into the Resistance. Gorou has Teppei show them around the camp, and the Traveler helps a few soldiers they meet. A sudden attack by the Shogun's Army leads Teppei to suspect that there is a traitor within the camp, but before he can try and root them out, he is persuaded to use his skill in logistics to reinforce the camp's weak spots. Though he gets the job done, Teppei bemoans his inability to contribute further and make a name for himself on the battlefield.

   When they go to report back to Gorou, they find that he has gone to the front lines to intercept the Shogun's Army, which is personally being led by Kujou Sara. Though she promises that she has only come for the Traveler, Gorou refuses to give them up. When the Traveler personally appears at the scene, Sara decides to propose a fight of honor — a ceremonial contest before battle in which two opposing sides are represented by their finest warriors. Gorou explains that this can give a weaker force a morale boost should their warrior win, though Sara's motivation is to capture the Traveler should they lose; he states that they should not feel like they have to accept, though the Traveler does so anyway. The Traveler's consecutive victories give the Resistance courage, and the two sides engage in direct combat. Though the Shogun's Army begins to get the upper hand, the Resistance's leader, Sangonomiya Kokomi appears with surprise mercenary reinforcements, among which are Beidou and Kaedehara Kazuha. With their advantage lost, Sara orders a retreat. Kokomi invites the Traveler to Watatsumi Island to discuss further plans for the counterattack against the Shogunate.

   “Omnipresence Over Mortals”: Sword, Fish, Resistance Teppei takes the Traveler to Watatsumi Island for their meeting with Sangonomiya Kokomi. She tells them how she recently accepted an anonymous letter's offer to provide the Resistance with material so long as they continue to fight the Inazuma Shogunate. Despite her doubts about the sender's motives, Watatsumi Island's lack of resources left her with little alternative. As the conversation turns to the Vision Hunt Decree, Kokomi voices her opinion that the Tenryou Commission's and the Raiden Shogun's attitudes towards it "don't add up." After affirming the Traveler's resolve to aid the Resistance despite its precarious situation, Kokomi immediately makes them captain of Swordfish II, a special operations unit. Teppei, eager to step into the battlefield himself, asks for a combat role and is promised one.

   After completing their first task with the members of Swordfish II, the unit is assigned to investigate the mysterious disappearance of supplies around Fort Mumei. They stay in Bourou Village to train for a few days and chat with Teppei, who has since become the captain of a newly formed special operations unit himself. He gives a glowing review of their new sponsor's supplies and departs for his next mission in high spirits, leaving Paimon awed by Teppei's unexpected improvement.

   Those Who Yearn for the Gods' Gaze While the investigation at Fort Mumei fails to reveal any leads, they notice some oddities in the area. Teppei arrives to provide assistance — with graying hair and a persistent cough. He dismisses his condition to a cold he got at sea, and explains that the strange atmosphere they are feeling is caused by the Tatarigami, a phenomenon which emerged after the death of Orobashi, the god of Watatsumi Island slain by the Ei during the Archon War. Since then, Narukami Island and Watatsumi Island have had poor relations. Teppei parts ways with them, warning them that Tatarigami can have ill effects on one's health.

   Upon returning to Watatsumi Island, the Traveler finds Kokomi and General Gorou discussing one of the secret weapons that an officer surrendered to Gorou and their effects on members of the Resistance that have held onto them. The Traveler is horrified to identify the weapon as a vitality-absorbing Delusion, revealing the Resistance's mysterious 'sponsor' is none other than the Fatui. Kokomi orders that the Resistance be informed to stop using Delusions immediately, and the users be recalled for medical treatment. Realizing that Teppei's condition and sudden burst in combat prowess is likely the result of using one, the Traveler rushes off to find him — and find themselves too late. Teppei, now with the physical appearance of an old man, is distraught that the new power he thought he finally obtained has instead led him to his demise. As Teppei's life fades away, the Traveler is overcome by fury and swears revenge on the Fatui.

   Delusion To salvage the situation that the Fatui have landed them in, the Traveler decides to dismantle their Delusion manufacturing scheme on their own. Although Kokomi realizes that the Fatui must have had "local support," she is unable to calm the Traveler down and hesitantly gives them the Delusion factory's suspected location. Inside, the Traveler and Paimon realize that the Delusions are being produced with the Crystal Marrow collected by the Kanjou Commission, and they can find a notice revealing that supposed Resistance member Nathan is actually a Fatui mole sent to sabotage them.

   The two cut their way through the facility before finding themselves face-to-face with The Balladeer, one of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers. He takes glee in mocking the "weak" and reveals how all of Inazuma has fallen for the Fatui's schemes, goading the Traveler into falling for his trap. As the Traveler succumbs to the Tatarigami and falls unconscious, Yae Miko arrives at the scene.

   The Servant's Path The Traveler reawakens at the Grand Narukami Shrine, having been rescued by Yae Miko. After reassuring them that Kokomi has resolved the situation at the Delusion factory, Miko explains that she has taken an interest in them given that they met Ei — the true Raiden Shogun who dwells within her inner world known as the Plane of Euthymia. The Shogun who manages Inazuma's affairs is a puppet made in her likeness, designed with the singular pursuit of eternity. The Traveler intrigued Ei enough to become the first person to meet her since she entered the Plane of Euthymia, which Miko believes will be the key to saving both Inazuma and Ei from a disastrous future.

   Miko puts the Traveler through grueling training so they can survive the Electro Archon's attacks, let alone defeat her. Even though neither the Traveler nor the Resistance are any match for Ei in direct combat, Miko is convinced that both will be able to play their parts when the time comes. To weaken the Tenryou Commission, which is spearheading the war, Yae Miko plans to turn Kujou Sara against them by proving that Kujou Takayuki, Sara's adoptive father and head of the Kujou Clan, has betrayed the Shogunate. Having invited Sara to the shrine, Yae promises the general that they will provide the evidence if Sara agrees to secretly return alone in three days to hear them out further.

   Proof of Guilt To find the evidence they need, the Traveler returns to Komore Teahouse to meet with Kamisato Ayaka and Thoma. With the help of Yoimiya supplying the Traveler with a distraction so that the Shuumatsuban ninja Sayu can easier infiltrate the Tenryou Commission, they successfully obtain Takayuki's falsified, optimistic report of the Shogunate's war efforts and a correspondence with the Fatui.

   Blind Loyalty, Reckless Courage Upon reading the documents, Kujou Sara is infuriated by what she sees and storms off to confront her adoptive father. Before the Traveler and Paimon can chase after her, Miko advises them that the only way to meet Ei will be to recreate the scenario as with their first encounter. She also gives them an omamori as a farewell gift, imparting them with vague promises about what it can do for them.

   The two join up with Sara and fight their way through the Tenryou guards until they reach Takayuki. In the ensuing confrontation, he confirms all that they have read, revealing his selfish reasons for accepting the Fatui's proposals. After learning that the Fatui Harbinger Signora is meeting with the Shogun at Tenshukaku, Sara runs off to confront her, with the Traveler and Paimon following shortly after.

   Duel Before the Throne By the time the Traveler reaches Tenshukaku, they find that Signora has defeated Sara. While Sara's Inazuman heritage spares her from further harm, Signora reminds the Traveler in their ensuing confrontation that they have no such provision as Inazuma's most wanted criminal. Remembering that the victor of a duel before the throne is given a second chance, the Traveler challenges Signora to a duel and the Shogun approves it. Despite the odds, Signora is defeated and is executed by the Shogun's Musou no Hitotachi, her most powerful technique. The Traveler and Paimon, shaken by the display of the Shogun's strength, are given permission to leave Tenshukaku alive.

   The Omnipresent God Outside Tenshukaku, the Traveler and Paimon run into the Resistance forces led by Gorou. Just then, the Shogun cuts through the space behind the Traveler, intending to execute them. Kaedehara Kazuha miraculously resonates with his late friend's Masterless Vision, using its Electro power combined with his Anemo Vision to block the Musou no Hitotachi and knock the Shogun back. Although she quickly recovers, witnessing the incredible feat invigorates the Resistance members and they charge at her. To prevent them from being slaughtered, the Traveler attacks the Shogun and is brought into the Plane of Euthymia.

   Ei turns out to have been aware of the Fatui's involvement all along, having deemed Visions — specifically, the pursuit of one's aspirations — to be a greater threat to eternity than a temporary war, her own inaction having been tacit approval. Their clash of wills turns into a duel once again. In the middle of their battle, Miko uses the omamori to enter the Plane of Euthymia, reminding the Traveler that they are fighting on behalf of those who wish for the Vision Hunt Decree's abolition. The light of human ambition from the confiscated Visions outside illuminates the dark and gloomy Plane of Euthymia, and the Traveler defeats Ei with their newfound strength.

   After Ei recounts her motivations for pursuing eternity — experiencing the deaths of her close companions and her sister Makoto, and witnessing the Heavenly Principles' destruction of Khaenri'ah — Miko eventually persuades her that her idea of eternity is bringing too much suffering and loneliness to even herself, pointing out that even the sky of the Plane had lit up with a predawn light as Ei had emotionally 'lit up' with meeting her friend after so long. Conceding to Miko's point, Ei agrees to abolish the Vision Hunt Decree, but tells them that she will need time to reconsider her approach towards ruling Inazuma.

   Wishes After the dust has settled, the Traveler and Paimon meet with Yae Miko. Their delight over stopping the Fatui's plans is dampened when Miko reveals that she rescued them from The Balladeer by giving him the Electro Gnosis. Having no more use for it, Ei had entrusted it to her before entering the Plane of Euthymia with the knowledge that Miko would 'sell' it, but only for something equally as valuable. As a gesture of thanks for their contributions to Inazuma, Miko offers to answer whatever questions they might have. Her answers give a few important pieces of information: The Balladeer was Ei's prototype puppet who was recruited into the Fatui and augmented until he was strong enough to become the Sixth Harbinger; and that knowledge is managed as a resource in Sumeru, the Traveler and Paimon's next stop, although Miko is unsure whether this was Lesser Lord Kusanali's decision or the Sages'. In her parting statement, Miko speculates that the Traveler's lack of a Vision may actually be because they have not yet found an ambition strong enough for them to receive one.

   “Requiem of Echoing Depths”: In the Depths, an Unexpected Reunion The Traveler and Paimon accept a commission from Yuehui, a miner, regarding strange hilichurl activity in The Chasm. Believing the Abyss Order is involved, the two venture into the depths of the underground mines and discover an Inverted City which reminds them of the Defiled Statue. Just then, Dainsleif appears from a portal behind them, having pursued an Abyss Herald through its portal only to be separated from it. When Dainsleif chased the Traveler's Sibling into a portal the last time they saw each other, the same thing happened to him then.

   This prompts the Traveler to ask about his background, which their sibling alluded to during their last confrontation, as well as the relationship between the two. Dainsleif tells them that "Twilight Sword" was his title as captain of Khaenri'ah's Royal Guard five hundred years ago; the Sibling, meanwhile, was his traveling companion in their search for their fates, but they "did not make it to the journey's end together." He quickly changes the subject back to the Abyss Order, which he suspects has plans for the area, and the trio move further in to investigate.

   The Grave of the Guarded The investigation leads Dainsleif to suspect that the hilichurls have come to The Chasm to live out the end of their lives, sensing that this area mitigates the curse of immortality placed on Khaenri'ahns during the cataclysm, although he is unsure of the principles at work. They are interrupted by two attacking Black Serpent Knights, who were Dainsleif's subordinates before they succumbed to the curse and lost their minds. However, one Knight does not attack them, instead staring at Dainsleif before retreating. The group ponders whether it recognized Dainsleif, a feat he believed was impossible without "it."

   After reaching the Inverted City, Dainsleif believes that the city likely belonged to a civilization older than Khaenri'ah. They defeat some Black Serpent Knights and discover they were protecting a group of hilichurls at the end of their lives, confirming Dainsleif's earlier suspicions. Before the Black Serpent Knight reinforcements can attack, the Knight from earlier stops them and silently orders them to retreat. Dainsleif believes the Knight must be Halfdan, a Royal Guard elite during the cataclysm whom he ordered to "inform all Black Serpent Knights to protect the people of Khaenri'ah at all costs." Ever since then, despite the curse eroding their minds, these knights have been trying to fulfill their last orders.

   No longer impeded by the Black Serpent Knights, the group climbs to the summit and find a water pool, a relic of the ancient civilization and the source of the area's ability to weaken the curse. Before they can investigate the strange devices located around it, Halfdan then arrives and urges them to follow him.

   Memories of Inteyvat The three end up in a hilichurl camp, where the Traveler finds an Inteyvat, the Khaenri'ah national flower. Upon touching it, they have a vision of their Sibling and an Abyss Herald discussing their plan to amplify the water pool's special properties, remove the curse from the gathered hilichurls, and restore "the homeland." Due to the reality-changing nature of the curse, Dainsleif deems this a futile effort and tells the Traveler that it will only bring the hilichurls even more suffering. The Traveler decides to help him stop their Sibling's plan, believing that their Sibling has no right to subject others to near-guaranteed suffering for an infinitesimally small chance of redemption.

   As they leave the settlement, the Abyss Order puts their plan into motion. After vanquishing the Abyss Herald attempting to delay them, the group rushes back to destroy the device.

   The Black Serpent Knights' Glory Just as they enter the chamber, an Abyss Lector activates the amplification device, causing all those affected by the curse to experience agonizing pain. Halfdan sacrifices himself to temporarily stop the device, buying the Traveler enough time to defeat the Lector and destroy the mechanisms powering the device. In the wake of Halfdan's death, the distraught party turns to leave when Halfdan's soul appears before them, briefly conversing with Dainsleif before passing on. Dainsleif leaves to recuperate from the device's effects and to investigate the Abyss Order's Loom of Fate project, while the Traveler and Paimon report back to Yuehui.

   Sumeru Story/Chapter 3: “Through Mists of Smoke and Forests Dark”: A Forest of Change The Traveler and Paimon continue their search for answers in Sumeru by seeking an audience with the Dendro Archon. After passing through the tunnel from Cinnabar Cliff in The Chasm and emerging into the lush rainforest of Sumeru, they ask passing scholar Haypasia for directions, only to find themselves completely ignored. Reasoning she would likely lead them to a human settlement, they decide to follow her. However, she instead enters a cave and lights some incense, the scent of which causes the Traveler to faint. They have a vision of a massive, glowing, white tree under a red sky; upon approaching it, they hear a feminine voice say, "...World... Forget me..." The vision ends as the Traveler awakens in Gandharva Ville, where they were taken by Forest Rangers Tighnari and Collei to receive treatment. After hearing Tighnari's explanation about their "hallucination," the Traveler suspects that he was not being truthful and decides to ask Collei for information.

   Further Observation The next day, Tighnari allows the Traveler and Paimon to accompany Collei on her patrol route while he and the other Forest Rangers handle a longer, more dangerous one. The two learn that there have been two Dendro Archons: Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, who died during the cataclysm, and Lesser Lord Kusanali, the current Archon. Lesser Lord Kusanali was discovered after Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's death and brought back to Sumeru City, where she now lives in the Sanctuary of Surasthana. Collei knows nothing else, attributing her lack of knowledge of the Archon to the amount of time she spent away from Sumeru — a story which is detailed in the Manga. She reveals that she knew who they were the moment she saw them, as she is dear friends with Amber and lived in Mondstadt for a time. They regularly write to each other, and Amber related how the Traveler and Paimon got involved with the Stormterror incident.

   While treating the two to some food and drinks, Collei defends Tighnari's character after Paimon criticizes the way he speaks to her. In a moment of silliness, Paimon touches Collei, causing the girl to panic. She attempts to downplay her outburst, but immediately flees back to Gandharva Ville and retires to bed, leaving the other two baffled.

   Chronic Illness The next morning, the two find Collei bedridden; she was born with Eleazar, a disease endemic to Sumeru which consigns the afflicted to a slow and agonizing death. Her symptoms were once successfully suppressed by Dottore, one of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, but the agonizing experiments she was subjected to traumatized her and made her touch-averse. They volunteer to gather ingredients for Collei's medication with Tighnari, but take a detour after learning that a Withering Zone has formed in a Forest Ranger patrol route; only those with elemental abilities can withstand a Withering Zone's effects, leaving Tighnari and the Traveler as the only ones capable of immediately handling it.

   Once the area returns to normal, Tighnari voices concern over the rapidity of Withering Zone appearances; not only do they damage the ecosystem, but they also cause Eleazar symptoms to worsen. The Withering, he explains, stems from a disease affecting Irminsul, a giant tree in the depths of the world which has Ley Lines for roots. Irminsul absorbs the memories accumulated within the Ley Lines, and the Dendro Archon is known as the God of Wisdom due to her consciousness' direct connection to Irminsul. However, not even the Aranara, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's familiars who informed Tighnari's ancestors of all of this, know how to cure Irminsul; and thus The Withering has continued to affect Sumeru for thousands of years.

   After returning to the village, a Dusk Bird from Haypasia delivers a desperate plea for food and water. Now convinced that the Traveler can be entrusted with Sumeru's fate, Tighnari reveals the truth behind their vision: The incense caused the Traveler's consciousness to connect to Irminsul, and what they witnessed was a real memory contained within it. Given that connecting to Irminsul is the purpose of Haypasia's training, Tighnari believes she may have more insight into the vision and sends them to deliver her emergency rations.

   Silent Seeker of Knowledge Upon entering Haypasia's cave, the Traveler unwittingly stumbles on an Aranara, which induces a dream on them as a distraction. The dream highlights their doubts about their journey's purpose and their relationship with their sibling, voiced through an undefeatable conjuration of the Abyss Herald they confronted in the past. After the Traveler awakens from the dream, they and Paimon discover that the Aranara was taking care of Haypasia while she was unconscious. The Traveler also finds that they'd dropped the boxed lunch in their dream-induced state, so they use the fruit the Aranara had left behind to raise Haypasia's blood sugar before cooking Radish Veggie Soup and Sweet Madame for the three of them.

   Haypasia explains how difficult it normally is to connect one's consciousness to Irminsul, and how many Sumeru Akademiya researchers have lost their minds after touching divine knowledge in Irminsul. It took her three years to connect to Irminsul and was lauded as a genius, and it was also the day she was able to see the Aranara, such as the 'neighbor' who helped her. However, she has no answers regarding the vision, believing she may understand more once she reaches the next step of her training. While discussing the Aranara, she observes a contradiction between their power over dreams compared to Sumeru people's inability to dream as adults — which the Sages claim is Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's way of protecting her people from the irrationality and disorderliness of dreams.

   The Traveler and Paimon return to Gandharva Ville and find Sage Khajeh and his subordinates personally trying to recruit Tighnari into a top-secret Akademiya project. However, even the threat of disappointing his teacher, Sage Naphis, fails to sway Tighnari and the Akademiya's emissaries leave empty-handed. To aid the Traveler's search for a way to meet Lesser Lord Kusanali, Tighnari tells them to meet Rohawi, an acquaintance of his in Sumeru City.

   The Trail of the God of Wisdom At the entrance to Sumeru City, a new policy grants the Traveler and Paimon each an Akasha Terminal, a device used to access Sumeru's knowledge-granting Akasha System. However, asking the Akasha directly or indirectly doesn't really work, nor Rohawi, Katheryne, or the Corps of Thirty advisor Asfand are able to tell them how to meet with the Archon. The Akademiya holds Lesser Lord Kusanali in less esteem compared to Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, so the new Archon's lack of presence has gone unquestioned by the people of Sumeru.

   The two are approached by a follower of Lesser Lord Kusanali's named Dunyarzad. Although Dehya, Dunyarzad's bodyguard, interrupts them to bring the runaway Dunyarzad back home, she changes her mind after seeing Dunyarzad's resolve to do something meaningful for her Archon. To repay the Archon for supporting her during a childhood bout of illness, Dunyarzad hopes to revive the Sabzeruz Festival, an obscure celebration of Lesser Lord Kusanali's birthday. She takes the group to meet Nilou, another follower of Lesser Lord Kusanali's who will perform the Dance of Sabzeruz, the centerpiece of the event. After telling the group about its history as a dance performed by the Goddess of Flowers, Nilou expresses her wish for real Padisarahs, a vibrant purple flower which went extinct after the Goddess of Flowers died thousands of years ago. Greater Lord Rukkhadevata caused her own version of Padisarahs to grow in the goddess's memory but was unable to get the same shade of purple.

   While looking around the Bazaar, the Traveler and Paimon briefly converse with Katheryne, who is taking a break from her Adventurers' Guild post. The two have little time to discuss her unusually informal speech before Dehya approaches them with a possible lead on meeting Lesser Lord Kusanali. They learn from Asfand that an Akademiya convoy at Aaru Village was robbed, much to Grand Sage Azar's alarm. While most information on the missing inventory is classified, the item has to do with "the Akasha, knowledge, and even the gods," and is currently somewhere in Port Ormos.

   Lost in Prosperity At Port Ormos, the Traveler and Paimon learn that some extremist Eremite groups, including one known as Ayn Al-Ahmar, are spreading rumors that the long-deceased King Deshret — a god whom they believe Greater Lord Rukkhadevata betrayed to gain control of Sumeru — will soon revive. They witness a dispute between members of Ayn Al-Ahmar and a man from the Akademiya named Alhaitham, which ends with the two parties agreeing to fight in a few days. Realizing that Alhaitham has details about the Akademiya's missing item, the Traveler convinces him to collaborate with them. He tells them that the missing item is a Knowledge Capsule, used to obtain knowledge beyond the Akasha's limitations, but refuses to give them further information before they complete a task for him: To become customers of Dori, a shrewd merchant who refuses to do business with anyone affiliated with the Akademiya due to the nature of her wares. Given a hefty sum and instructed not to haggle, the two gain her trust and return to Alhaitham.

   Ever So Close After reconvening, Alhaitham and the Traveler tell each other why they are investigating the Akademiya's missing item — a Divine Knowledge Capsule, which Alhaitham intends on studying to find out what "divine knowledge" entails. With Dori's help, they discover that Ayn Al-Ahmar's leader, Mizri, has obtained it, and plan on forcing the Eremites to give them access to the Capsule during their scheduled fight. While the fight initially goes as planned, Mizri goes berserk after using the Divine Knowledge Capsule and attacks some of his group. Alhaitham ends the fight by severing Mizri's connection to his Akasha Terminal, and the Matra take Mizri into custody. As he is being led away, Mizri mutters "...World ...Forget me..."

   As the trio discusses the events that transpired, Alhaitham and the Traveler both withhold information from the other: Alhaitham, that he swiped the Divine Knowledge Capsule from Mizri; the Traveler, that they heard Mizri's words in a vision. Alhaitham compares Mizri's state to that of researchers who have gone insane after connecting to Irminsul, concluding that the Capsule grants neither divine knowledge nor power. After finding that Alhaitham, too, knows nothing about Lesser Lord Kusanali, the two parties go their separate ways, with the Traveler and Paimon returning to Sumeru City for the Sabzeruz Festival. Once they leave, Alhaitham debates whether to "deal with" the Divine Knowledge Capsule, or produce a certain report for the Sages.

   “The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings”: The Coming of the Sabzeruz Festival The Traveler and Paimon return to the Grand Bazaar and recount their escapades in Port Ormos to Dunyarzad. Seeing that Paimon is tired, Dunyarzad provides the traveling pair with accommodations for the night. The next morning, the two meet up with Dunyarzad, who explains the festival traditions as they browse the event venues. After departing from Vihar's venue — where the player has to pick a mystery box of Yalda Candy flavors — the three run into Eremite mercenaries planning on taking Dunyarzad hostage for a ransom. Dehya reveals herself and stalls the mercenaries alone so the three can escape.

   Dehya catches up with them after driving the mercenaries off, but was wounded in the process as she was not yet acclimated to her new greatsword — she sold her old one to donate towards the Sabzeruz Festival. Dunyarzard's health begins to falter again, so the Traveler brings her somewhere safe while Dehya patrols the area. As they rest, Dunyarzad reveals that she was born with Eleazar and that it has progressed to a terminal stage, so she is doing everything she can for the Sabzeruz Festival so she will not leave behind any regrets once she passes away. Realizing it is almost time for the Dance of Sabzeruz, the three hurry to the Grand Bazaar.

   They arrive to find Nilou being accosted by Grand Sage Azar and his secretary, Setaria. Azar claims that the festival violates several laws and prematurely shuts the festival down, declaring that all public art performances will be banned starting with the next Jnagarbha Day and departing with some enigmatic words about celebrating "the birth of that god to your heart's content." Although Nilou tries to brainstorm a way to continue with the dance, Dunyarzad decides that they should comply with the Grand Sage's orders. The Traveler and Paimon lament that Dunyarzad's situation means she will live out the rest of her life with the regret of being unable to see Nilou's performance.

   Elsewhere, a beeping sound is heard as Khajeh states that "The project has entered its most critical phase."

   The Arrival of the Sabzeruz Festival The morning of the Sabzeruz Festival repeats itself, causing the Traveler to feel increasing amounts of déjà vu. After picking the mystery box at Vihar's stall, the Traveler takes their leave and heads to Lambad's Tavern, believing they might shake off the sensation by eating something they'd never tried before. Much to the Traveler's surprise, the flavor is familiar despite the incongruence with their memories, meaning they must have tried doing this before.

   As they leave, they find Dunyarzad sitting at the bench, having escaped her pursuers alone. Although the two sense that Dunyarzad is less energetic than usual, she attributes it to her constitution and heads to the Grand Bazaar, where Azar and Setaria once again confront Nilou. Having failed to make any discoveries, the two go to sleep and hear the same beep again. Meanwhile, the project continues, despite seeing a drop in "Jnana Energy" output levels.

   The Continuation of the Sabzeruz Festival As the festival loops again, the Traveler has memorized each mystery box's flavor. They abandon Dunyarzad and the festival to chase after a strange girl and wind up at Bimarstan, where another Dunyarzad lays on a bed. The mysterious girl, Nahida, restores the Traveler and Paimon's memories of continuously reliving the events of the Sabzeruz Festival — a phenomenon which she calls a "samsara" (cycle) — and tells them that their Dendro powers and special constitutions make them the only ones who can perceive her. The Dunyarzad laying before them is the real one, continuously weakening with each samsara, so Nahida wants them to discover the samsara's cause and break the cycle while she delays Dunyarzad's illness. Nahida cannot tell them the answers without "literally" blowing their minds, so they have no choice but to find out for themselves.

   After failing to find any useful information, they decide to enlist Dehya's help and bring her to Bimarstan. While Dehya cannot see or hear either Nahida or the real Dunyarzad, she senses Dunyarzad's aura and is convinced that they are telling the truth. Through Nahida's and the Traveler's explanations, Dehya correctly deduces that Sumeru Akademiya's sages are using the Akasha to cause the samsara, and suspects that they can use the Akasha to extract knowledge from its users and figuratively create a single, massive brain which can solve problems which not even the best minds could crack alone.

   The three take their terminals off to cut themselves off from the samsara, but hear the beeping sound again and fall unconscious. Meanwhile, Khajeh warns that the project is taking longer than expected, and that there will likely be casualties. Azar decides to continue on.

   The Samsara of the Sabzeruz Festival The next day begins, confirming that removing their Akasha Terminals is useless. The Traveler and Paimon seek Dehya again and find her after she drives off the mercenaries, noticing that she was not injured fighting the kidnappers. While Dehya forgot the events of the previous samsara, she finds it odd how easily she can use her new greatsword, making the two hopeful that they may have broken free from the samsara. However, Nahida gives a lackluster response and tells them to wait for the next day.

   After the beep, Azar orders the project to continue, believing that "these sacrifices are trivial" compared to their end goal.

   The Causality of the Sabzeruz Festival The following day, the Traveler suggests the samsara is caused by memory erasure, but are told it is wrong. Nahida's point is reinforced when they bring up the possibility to Dehya, who shows them a training dummy that would be impossible for the sages to reproduce for each loop. Concluding that they are not in the real world, the Traveler and Paimon realize that they have never tried leaving the city. However, it turns out that they tried twice — somehow, their memories of leaving could not be recovered even with Nahida's intervention. They decide to test it again the next day, certain that this is the key to uncovering the samsara's true nature.

   The Empty Illusions of the Sabzeruz Festival In the morning, the Traveler discovers that two days have passed since they started their plan. On the first day, the Traveler left the city alone so Paimon could witness what happened, but immediately disappeared after leaving the city and failed to return, while the Traveler's own memories of it were erased. On the second day, Nahida modified the Akasha Terminal so the Traveler could record messages about what they saw in the outside world.

   In the present, the recorded messages reveal that the Akasha compiles wisdom by stealing its users' dreams, which occur during a stage of sleep when brain activity is high; the sages' rhetoric about dreams being detrimental to people is a lie used to cover up this fact. The samsara is the result of putting Akasha users' consciousnesses into a collective dream of the Sabzeruz Festival, making them repeatedly "wake up" to a new day while the Akasha harvests their now-vacant dreams. They also deduce that Nahida is actually Lesser Lord Kusanali, the Dendro Archon they have been looking for. As they contemplate the sages' end goal, the beep rings and they await the next day.

   The End of the Sabzeruz Festival The next day, the Traveler and Paimon wake up to find that the real Dunyarzad's consciousness could no longer handle the dream harvesting and disappeared; the other Dunyarzad is a puppet made to keep the samsara going. Nahida leaves the city to find a way to save Dunyarzad, while the two need to break the samsara by making the samsara's host realize they are dreaming. Their first suspected host turns out to be incorrect, much to the Traveler's frustration. While searching for a clue, Paimon finds a compilation of folk legends that Dunyarzad wrote for them. Moved by the gesture, the Traveler finds and thanks the puppet Dunyarzad. She repeats a line once spoken by the real Dunyarzad, which reminds the Traveler of the one thing she regretted — the Dance of Sabzeruz.

   The Traveler intervenes as Azar and Setaria confront Nilou, causing them to stop responding as they are puppets with no actual consciousness behind them. Noticing the presence of true purple Padisarahs, the Traveler confirms their theory that Nilou is the dream's host by having her make Azar and Setaria disappear. Making a connection to the tale of the First Sage, Nilou realizes she is dreaming and begins to wake up. Nilou performs the Dance of Sabzeruz as the dreamscape dissolves, during which Dunyarzad's spirit emerges among the crowd.

   After waking up, the Traveler and Paimon realize that they are finally free. They remove their Akasha Terminals and search for Dunyarzad, finding her safe and sound in Bimarstan — along with "Katheryne."

   Dawn "Katheryne" is in fact Nahida, who is possessing the Snezhnayan puppet through her Akasha Terminal; she was trapped in the Sanctuary of Surasthana 500 years ago and has not been able to leave since. After explaining how she saved Dunyarzad, Nahida answers some of the Traveler's questions as their reward for breaking the samsara. In the process, she reveals that the words "World... forget me" were left behind by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, whose consciousness was contaminated by something dangerous. The fact that the Traveler could encounter it without going mad like other scholars gives her hope that they could finally resolve Irminsul's sickness. As for the sages, they removed their Akasha Terminals to prevent information leakage, but she intends on investigating the manner and punishing them if need be.

   For the time being, however, she needs to rest after expending a great deal of mental energy to preserve Dunyarzad's consciousness. Nahida leaves Katheryne's body and Katheryne awakens away from her post, confused about what happens. Paimon suggests she was sleepwalking, causing Katheryne to remark that she should visit her maintenance personnel before leaving.

   “Dreams, Emptiness, Deception”: Like a Triumphant Hero Some time after the end of the Sabzeruz Festival samsara, Nahida takes over Katheryne's body again to speak to the Traveler and Paimon when they visit the Adventurers' Guild. Nahida wants to resolve the matter with the Sumeru Akademiya's sages before focusing her attention on Irminsuland The Withering. Because the sages have taken careful measures to avoid information leaks from the Akasha, her usual source of information, Nahida proposes that they convince Setaria — Grand Sage Azar's secretary — to reveal their plans. Setaria's genius gave her an exceptional opportunity for a desert-dweller, but this has left her plagued by guilt over the sages' questionable work and her inability to use her studies to help the desert people. If they can make Setaria confront her guilt about her homeland, they will have a mole on the inside. In the guise of Katheryne, Nahida talks to some of Setaria's acquaintances so that the Traveler can imitate them during their conversations with Setaria the next day. The following day, as Setaria goes shopping, the targets' consciousnesses are overridden by the Traveler's, who pretends that each of them has become King Deshret's follower. Over the course of the confrontations, Setaria reveals that King Deshret's resurrection was an Akademiya misinformation campaign. A bewildered Setaria flags down Corps of Thirtymember Rima to warn her that something strange is afoot, but Rima's consciousness is taken over by the Traveler, who continues confronting Setaria. Finally, Setaria cracks and agrees to covertly work against the sages, but even she knows little about the project's full scope. She decides to steal confidential documents and pass them to the Traveler at the Akademiya's entrance the next night. As they approach the meeting point, the Traveler and Nahida's suspicions about the dearth of people prove well-founded when they find a mob of people at the Akademiya entrance, all cheering and whooping. Il Dottore (The Doctor), No. 2 of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, reveals himself as the mastermind behind this scene. Setaria's conversation with the Traveler was overheard through a listening device and she was imprisoned, while Dottore conducted an experiment on people's Akasha Terminals, planting into their minds the idea that the Traveler has just saved the world and inducing the crowd to start mobbing them. Nahida, in Katheryne's body, steps in front of the Traveler and tells them to run while she handles the situation. In doing so, however, she reveals the scope of her abilities to Dottore. Now that they have learned about the Akademiya's collaboration with the Fatui, the Traveler and Paimon decide to seek out Tighnari to learn more about the sage's project.

   The Gaze from a Certain God On the way to Gandharva Ville, the Traveler and Paimon repel an ambush by elite Eremite groups hired by Dottore. They find Collei in the village, whose Eleazar has worsened and prohibited her from going on expeditions. Tighnari himself uncharacteristically went to Pardis Dhyai on short notice, so the two head there next. There, they find "Katheryne" — Nahida managed to escape Dottore's grasp at the last second, but she suspects that he will soon find a way to trap her consciousness within the Akasha. While searching for Tighnari, they encounter Haypasia, who believes that she has reached Paripurna Life and offers to show them what she saw. Instead of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's consciousness, however, they witness Fatui Harbinger Scaramouche's memories. Before they can dwell on this further, more Eremites attack them. In the ensuing melee, "Katheryne" is run through by a spear. She touches fingers with the Traveler, and the two's consciousnesses trade bodies. From within Nahida's true body at the Sanctuary of Surasthana, the Traveler witnesses Scaramouche in the process of becoming a god — and Scaramouche witnesses them in turn. By the time they return to their own body, the Traveler finds themself fleeing Pardis Dhyai with Tighnari, who had come to their rescue. While indwelling the Traveler, Nahida left them one final clue before her consciousness was trapped by Dottore: "Even in a moonless night, a shower of starlight can still drown out illusions and lies." After determining that this meant seeking help from the people of the Great Red Sand, the Traveler and Paimon part ways with Tighnari, who decides to stay behind in Pardis Dhyai and continue monitoring Haypasia's condition.

   The Four at Loggerheads At Caravan Ribat, the Traveler and Paimon narrowly escape the Eremites trailing them thanks to Alhaitham's help. Alhaitham tells them that he's still studying the capsule and believes the Traveler might be hiding something from him before offering to go to Aaru Village with them, which they accept. When they arrive at the village, the Traveler senses someone waiting to attack and parries the first strike before they clash with Alhaitham to a standstill. Alhaitham recognizes the man as Cyno, the General Mahamatra. Cyno demands he reveal the Divine Knowledge Capsule before Alhaitham questions him being alone in the desert, as the other matra were wondering where he went. Suddenly, Dehya arrives and tries to mediate, although the two men are still insistent on fighting. A sandstorm then kicks up, forcing the group into the village chief's hut when another woman calls out to them. Inside, the woman introduces herself as Candace and warns them not to cause a fight in the village again before asking them to explain what happened. Cyno goes first, stating that he put himself in exile after noticing missing data that Azar submitted himself. When he tried to investigate, Azar denied his request, stating that he had no right to judge them. Cyno then reveals that Alhaitham had been tasked with tracking the Traveler, who doesn't deny the accusation, but reveals that he did not accept it, as the sages had promised him divine knowledge, which he found extremely suspicious. Dehya then explains that she was just bored and wanted to return to the village, just as they hear growling outside. Candace leaves the house to handle the monsters. After some time passes, the Traveler and Dehya worry about her condition, so they head out and find her fighting some riftwolves and join in, repelling the enemy attack. The village chief, Uncle Anpu, then arrives, explaining that the Village Keepers have gone missing recently with no trace. Cyno explains that they're actually the exiled scholars of the Akademiya, as they believe that their crazed ramblings would give a negative psyche to others. Cyno then asks the Traveler to meet him elsewhere for a conversation. At the arranged spot, Cyno explains the history of the Village Keepers; they were initially shunned by the village due to not being useful, but when an earthquake struck one day a mad scholar crouched to the ground with a green light radiating from him, protecting the entire village from any damage. The Traveler believes this to be the Dendro Archon's work, which Cyno believes and is surprised to learn that the Archon walks among the people. Just then, a boy named Isakappears and asks them to help find his grandpa. Returning to the chief's house, Cyno confirms with Candace about Isak, who explains his past to them. Isak is delighted to learn that they'll be searching for his grandpa, so they begin to look for leads.

   “King Deshret and the Three Magi”: The Missing Village Keepers The Traveler and Cyno begin their investigation on the missing Village Keepers by talking to some of the locals. After talking to them, Cyno overhears two others talking about King Deshret's resurrection and confronts them. The two people, Sharkan and Makan, are terrified of Cyno's presence and quickly spill everything they know, including their hatred for the Dendro Archon and that a "radical" was responsible for the missing cases. Cyno warns them not to warn the radicals before Isak brings them to his grandpa's house, where the Traveler nearly faints from the aftermath of some incense. Cyno then catches a whiff of the incense after concentrating and upon hearing Paimon mention Tighnari, tells them that he's a friend of his. After some further investigation around the hut, he discovers that someone else had come in and lured Isak's grandpa away with the incense. Returning to the village chief's house, Dehya suggests visiting her drinking friends at Caravan Ribat, but stops Cyno from coming along as she's worried he might intimidate them. Cyno and Candace remain behind while the Traveler accompanies Dehya. As the two travel back to Caravan Ribat, Dehya expresses her hatred for the Wall of Samiel, explaining that its purpose of protecting the rainforest from sandstorms has been co-opted by the sages to also keep the Eremites out of Sumeru, as the sages simply take advantage of them, regarding the desertfolk as little more than tools or livestock to be exploited and discarded, "undeserving" of the Akasha's wisdom. At the local tavern, Dehya meets with Zaki and tells him to let Delavar that she has a spice deal for him. When Zaki takes them to the arranged spot, it is revealed to be an ambush, with both Delavar and Enguralso appearing. Believing Dehya to be an incompetent fighter, they are quickly surprised when she and the Traveler defeats them with ease before taking them back to Aaru Village. The following night, Candace interrogates the radicals for information and they reveal that the Eremite band had met with a masked man claiming to be King Deshret's envoy, who gave them incense to lure the Village Keepers out. They would then meet at a junction where the man would take them away to an unknown location. Uncle Anpu then chimes in, but to ensure the radicals wouldn't learn anything, Cyno knocks them out. Uncle Anpu states that he believes the mystery man might be related to the Akademiya, as they approached him before to take the Village Keepers back, which he refused. The group prepares to set out for the desert to find more information, while Candace stays behind to handle the radicals.

   Cry from the Eleazar Hospital Before the group leaves, Paimon spots Alhaitham, believing he had done nothing useful. Alhaitham tells them he had stayed in the village to continue his investigation and reveals that one of the villagers they spoke to had not been completely truthful to them. He explains that if the person had become too friendly to the Village Keepers, they could make themselves a target for the radicals. The group quickly realizes that Shani had lied and return to her home to demand an explanation. Shani explains that she could hear screaming in the night, which Alhaitham confirmed with one of the village guards. After asking what was around the village, Shani tells them that there was an abandoned Eleazarhospital nearby and they go there to investigate. Arriving at Dar al-Shifa, the Traveler eliminates the monsters camping outside. After Alhaitham unlocks the entrance, they wait for nightfall, upon which they hear the crying that Shani had heard. Alhaitham discovers a hidden entrance and after unlocking a few more mechanisms, they enter the hospital and discover a person inside, who Alhaitham recognizes as Razak. Alhaitham realizes that they might be too late, since there were traces that indicated a hasty withdrawal. He explains that the Akademiya's misinformation campaign made the radicals spring into action to unknowingly help in their plans while ensuring that no liability could be traced to them, reminding them of their encounter with Mizri at Port Ormosas an example. They take Razak back to the village, where they brief the others on what they found at the hospital. Cyno wonders how the Akademiya is aware of their plans before Alhaitham tells him that he's the mole, much to his anger. He explains that the sages knew of his conviction and that it posed a threat to them, so they needed to monitor him at all times. While he was idling about, Alhaitham found a book detailing his activities and movements which were uploaded to the Akasha on Jnagarbha Day. Cyno fails to see the reasoning behind it until Alhaitham tells him that the Akasha is capable of computation, thus it could predict his activities for the day. Cyno is initially dismayed at this, but realizes that if they were trying to avoid him, the perpetrators would go in the direction opposite of him; the desert. Heading out into the desert, they find some headsets buried in the sand and continue following them, surmising that they were left there recently. Cyno then hears arguing and they spot Dehya and a group of Eremites led by Rahman. Isak, believing Dehya to have betrayed them, confronts her, causing the others to follow up, much to Dehya's annoyance as she was trying to convince Rahman to aid them. Rahman refuses to accept Dehya's reasoning, so Alhaitham offers himself as a hostage, although he still refuses to accept the deal. Dehya asks Alhaitham if he'd uphold his promises, which he does. Dehya then asks Rahman if he trusts her, which he does. She then offers her right arm as payment for her friends' words, which Rahman accepts and orders one of his men to chop her arm off. At the last moment, Rahman changes his mind, believing that cutting her arm off would be akin to cutting his own fingers and sees no point in hurting his own kin. He allows the group to leave, but demands a fight the next day to settle the score, which she accepts.

   Secret of the Scorching Desert The next day, the group heads out to meet up with Rahman's group. However, they only find one of the Village Keepers, which Rahman states that it was a one-on-one exchange since he had reluctantly accepted the honesty of Dehya's friends. This angers her, who immediately charges and easily overwhelms him. One of Rahman's men then threatens Isak's grandpa, but when his hands start shaking, another scolds him for cowardice. The man then loosens his grip before realizing that it's an earthquake, but Isak's grandpa suddenly glows and protects the entire group with a barrier as the sands swallow them. When the group comes to, they find themselves in some mysterious ruins which excites Rahman as the ruins belong to King Deshret. Rahman leaves his group to let them recover as he joins the others in investigating, where they find the Dendro Archon's power imbued in the ruins, which gets the group's attention due to the harmony between the Dendro Archon and King Deshret. After running into some runes, Alhaitham deciphers them, revealing the transcript to be from Kasala, the last priest of King Deshret. The transcript tells how King Deshret introduced forbidden knowledge to his people, causing them to go mad; to save them, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata used her own powers to give the people life. This was not without a cost, as King Deshret chose to sacrifice himself to prevent the knowledge from returning, while Rukkhadevata reverted to a small child. Rahman is shocked by the transcript before realizing that he and his people made an enemy of their savior and accepts the truth. He apologizes to the group for his actions and promises to return the Village Keepers and share what supplies his people have after explaining to them what he saw. Upon arriving at his stronghold, Rahman brings the group to the perpetrators, Morghi and Judar. Upon seeing both Alhaitham and Cyno, they become terrified. The Traveler asks them if the sages were planning to create a new god, which they confirm, much to the group's surprise. They explain that since Rukkhadevata's death, scientific breakthroughs had been rare and on the decline. After Il Dottore approached them with the notion to create a new god, they accepted and began to set the plan in motion, with the dream samsaraand harvesting Divine Canned Knowledge from the mad scholars being part of the process to create their new god. Returning to the village with the Village Keepers and the suspects, everyone agrees that what the sages are doing is completely unacceptable and begin to concoct a plan to crush the sages and rescue their true god.

   “Akasha Pulses, The Kalpa Flame Rises”: Through the Predawn Night As the day starts, the Traveler and Paimon find Candace, who tells them that everyone is waiting. She asks has them promise that they wouldn't get too reckless before entering the village chief's home, where they catch up with Alhaitham, Cynoand Dehya. They formulate a plan before going off to finish up some last minute preparations. Alhaitham's plan involves taking action on the next Jnagarbha Day. Candace could tell that the meeting went along well and while she would remain behind to protect the village, she prays for their success. Catching up to Alhaitham, he had just finished speaking with Rahman. Alhaitham reminds them that they need to commit to the plan due to the serious circumstances involved. He then states that as a scholar, he could advise the mercenaries from behind rather than having to fight at the front. He also points out that he had not known of forbidden knowledge while working at the Akademiya and suspects that the scholars and mercenaries who used it fell victim to its corruption; however, the Akademiya treated it as something else, and he suspects that what is happening now happened in the past. Paimon tells him that Tighnari had told them that Irminsul was connected to Sumeru's ailments and that they should inform Nahida, although Alhaitham fails to see the reason why until the Traveler explains it to him. This makes him conclude that saving Lesser Lord Kusanali much more important, but before they could start, he needs to finish his preparations and they head off to Rahman's base. Arriving at Rahman's base, they find Morghi and Judar working, as Alhaitham had given them something to do. Paimon spots the headset from before alongside some Canned Knowledge capsules, causing her to become nervous. Alhaitham explains that they wouldn't be using them yet, but asks the Traveler to remind themselves of their conviction. As they wear the headset, Alhaitham asks them to simulate the successful rescue of Kusanali and that Sumeru's political landscape has changed. Paimon is still unsure as to his intentions before he explains that people have relied too much on the Akasha and thus they're slaves to orders. With his preparation done, he sends them off to Cyno at Caravan Ribatwhile he finishes up some other small tasks with the Akademiya scholars. Making their way to Cyno, the Traveler finds him arguing with Rahman over the plan, as Cyno could not accept a plan with immense casualties. Rahman states that they don't have a choice and that it's their best option, but Cyno is still unconvinced, as he had gone to Alhaitham for advice. Rahman admits that he knows the ways of the desert before he explains the plan; using his capacities as a Matra, Cyno would work with the guards at the outpost to arrest Rahman's men, as they were unregistered and that the outpost would never accept so much Eremites at once, being their best bet to infiltrate Sumeru City. Cyno states that Alhaitham gave him that suggestion and while he would ensure his men would not be hurt, the other guards wouldn't be as considerate and he is against meaningless loss. The Traveler offers to help, which both accept. Cyno, seeing Rahman's determination, decides to go with the plan. Heading to the outpost, Cyno informs the guards that he's about to make a large arrest and needs their assistance in apprehending them. The guards go off to inform their superiors; as they do so, Paimon is worried that they might have been feigning support. However, Cyno reminds them of their discussion, in which Alhaitham believed that the guards at Caravan Ribat should be unaware that Cyno had stepped down due to his fellow Matra not knowing his current status and that if something happened to him, it would attract unwanted attention and potentially expose their master plan. Alhaitham also reminds the group of the Akasha's computation capabilities, although confident that it would be unable to discover their plan yet as they were all working together. Paimon is relieved before Cyno reminds her to pay attention next time as they hear footsteps. The guards returned with their superior, Luxembarbo, who Cyno briefs on his mission and introduces the Traveler and Paimon as his assistant and their construct respectively. Cyno requests an elite platoon to set out in two days to apprehend Rahman's men. After two days pass, they meet up with Cyno at the outskirts of the village, where they find Luxembarbo and his men there already. Cyno reminds them that they need Rahman's men alive before they conveniently arrive on scene. After a brief struggle, Rahman and his men are arrested and taken away. With no one to hear them, Cyno promises to get Rahman and his men into Sumeru City before asking them to proceed with the next part of the plan; assisting Dehya in convincing Tighnari to support them. While Paimon is concerned that he would not help due to not telling him the full plan, Cyno is confident that his relationship with Tighnari would get the message through.

   As by a God's Side Returning to Caravan Ribat, Dehya jokingly scolds them for being late. Due to the threat posed by Il Dottore, Dehya states that they'll need information on him before proceeding with their plan. The current plan involves heading to Pardis Dhyai to find Tighnari, who Alhaitham and Cyno believe still have the Akademiya's trust, and thus use him to get as much information as possible to adjust their plan if needed. Arriving at Pardis Dhyai, they find Tighnari and ask to speak with him privately. Learning that Cyno was working with them, he agrees to help out in any way possible while not asking for the finer details. When they ask him about Dottore, he tells them that the Harbinger had just left, having arrived to ask him to hand over Haypasia for reasons unknown outside of working on her treatment. Tighnari refused, as he sensed an aura similar to that of other scholars. Dottore admitted that he would have dealt with him, but with the Tsaritsa calling for his return, he had no time but remarked that he could finish up some loose ends before leaving. Asking where he went, Tighnari points them in the direction he left in. Dehya uses her mercenary skills to track him and determines he's leaving via Port Ormos. There, they find a large Fatui entourage before they hide in Wikala Funduq. However, Dottore spots and waves at them, causing them to realize that he had misled them and that they're going after Haypasia instead. Rushing back to Pardis Dhyai, they help Tighnari drive the Fatui off before checking on Haypasia. However, touching her causes a manifestation of Scaramouche to appear, who tells them that their mission is futile as neither they nor Nahida can defeat him. The Traveler asks why he's contacted them directly, to which he replies that he's just in a good mood. They ask some questions, stating that the Akademiya only sees him as a new Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and that the process to ascend him is risky. While Scaramouche notes their genuine concern, he states that he was always meant to be a god. He expresses his disgust for humanity, but when the Traveler points out that he could have cut his connection to Haypasia, he admits that he does have some affection for her, in that he saw her worthy to be his first follower due to seeing his past. The Traveler informs him of Dottore's intentions, but he believes it to be an attempt to sow discord and showcases his newfound power by causing lightning around Pardis Dhyai. Worried about Dehya and Tighnari, they head out and find that Tighnari had been struck by lightning. Dehya states that the weather took a change and tore most of the Fatui. Tighnari states that he'll be fine, but notices that the Traveler looks concerned. Heading in the greenhouse, the Traveler informs them of their encounter with Scaramouche. Dehya takes this as their plan being successful, as Dottore had left. She tells them to meet up with the group at the Grand Bazaar at the appointed time.

   Jnagarbha Day The next day, the Traveler meets up with Alhaitham outside the Akademiya and asks for a rundown of the plan again. Alhaitham states that they'll be infiltrating Azar's office to access his console, as there should be a way to free Kusanali from the Sanctuary of Surasthana. As Jnagarbha Day is important for the Akademiya, Alhaitham states that they'll just head straight in through the front door, much to Paimon's astonishment. Once they enter, they're met by Viraf, who questions the Traveler's arrival, only for Alhaitham to tell him the reason should be obvious as he walks off. Further inside, they head into the House of Daena, where they lay low to ensure they wouldn't run into Azar in the process. However, Azar intercepts them, having been informed by an eyewitness. He takes them to their office, stating that due to Jnagarbha Day, he has little time for small talk and asks why they came before detaining them. The Traveler warns him of the Fatui's motives, but he pays no attention to it, being interested only in their new god. Alhaitham gives him information on the Traveler, leading the two to believe he had betrayed them. However, Azar calls Alhaitham out on his own plan. In an apparent fit of insane rage, Alhaitham drops the Divine Knowledge Capsule and lunges at Azar, but misses, although he knocks over a rack of Knowledge Capsule on Azar's desk before the guards apprehend him. Azar orders him to be exiled to Aaru Village before locking the Traveler and Paimon up, confident that with the Traveler out of the way, the sages' plan would be set for good. As Alhaitham is dragged away, his Akasha reverts to green, revealing that his "insanity" was just a ploy and he shares a glance with Nilou as they pass by her. In the confinement room, the Traveler and Paimon go over the plan again, as Alhaitham's 'betrayal' has set the Traveler in the best position available to wake Nahida from the Akasha. They manage to find a spot with a stable connection and connect to Nahida's consciousness. They initially have trouble connecting to Nahida, as she has self-doubt over her capabilities as an Archon, but after hearing an unknown voice, is convinced to do her best. The Traveler breaks a barrier surrounding her and manages to wake her up. With Nahida's consciousness awoken, the next part of the plan begins. Outside, Sheikh Zubayr asks Nilou if she really intends to go with the plan, which she affirms. Zubayr concedes, but warns her to be careful, as the few people of the Bazaar might be unable to help her. Nilou makes her way to the Akademiya, where she performs at the entrance. Azar orders the guards to detain her, but when the order is uploaded to the guards, they're instead told that Kusanali escaped into the city and are ordered to apprehend her. Alhaitham had planned for this possibility, thus leaving the Akademiya without guards, allowing Dehya and the Eremites to go into action. Dressing Isak as Kusanali, they lure the guards into the Bazaar and defeat them. Back at the Akademiya, Azar wonders where the guards are when Uday arrives, having done what he was told. Azar checks the Akasha himself, discovering the order but wonders how it got there in the first place. When Uday questions the Akasha, he unintentionally angers Azar, who goes to the Sanctuary of Surasthana to investigate. When he arrives to confirm the information himself, he runs into Cyno, who demands that he plead guilty to the archon herself. Meanwhile, Dehya frees the Traveler from the confinement room and tells them that the plan was a success. Heading into the Sanctuary, the Traveler and Paimon meet Nahida in person for the first time. Nahida apologizes for putting them through situations she caused, but they decline the apology as she wasn't at fault. Now knowing the full extent of the damage, Nahida reverts the Akasha to be used by herself only and revoke all of the sages' access, make them pay for their crimes, and also to stop the false god. She advises them to prepare themselves.

   Where the Boat of Consciousness Lies Inside, Nahida remarks on the intricacy of the Akasha before giving the Traveler an "upgraded" version which she made just recently and would help them in their travels. She also reveals that she discovered the false god's location. She also intends to support them, as she doesn't have enough power to fight yet. Needing to connect to Scaramouche's consciousness, they enter the facility, which had been made by the Fatui. As they head deeper into the facility, Nahida could sense that Scaramouche was either nearing or already became a god. When they finally reach him, they find him in a large mechanical suit and that he sees himself as a god, although Nahida notes that the sages weren't able to infuse the Divine Knowledge Capsules into him and that he lacks the spiritual height of one. Nahida awakens him in order to get his attention before he challenges them to a fight as to reenact a scene of the Archon War despite Nahida's pleas otherwise. Despite the Traveler's initial attempts, Scaramouche plunges his arm into Nahida's chest to grab her Gnosis, but Nahida reveals that he had been in a repeating samsara. Due to the samsaras, she proceeds to impart the combat knowledge to the Traveler to put them on better fighting terms, alongside compiling the knowledge of Sumeru's people with the Akasha to the "upgraded" terminal, allowing them to defeat Scaramouche. Nahida proceeds to grab the Electro Gnosis from the mechanical chest, causing Scaramouche to fall out as he begs for Nahida not to take it from him. Using the Electro Gnosis alongside her own, Nahida and the Traveler enter Rukkhadevata's final memory, although she is surprised to see it severely contaminated. The Traveler explains the concept of forbidden knowledge to her, which she connects to King Deshret's time and also the cataclysm. Nahida clutches in pain as the corroded consciousness is affecting everyone, so set out and find a boat to take them to Rukkhadevata's lucid consciousness to find the answers they seek. When they arrive, the Traveler recalls seeing the same place when they first arrived in Sumeru before they meet a replica of Nahida, although it is Rukkhadevata's consciousness. Nahida has many questions for Rukkhadevata, who reveals that she created Nahida from the purest Irminsul branch to serve as her incarnation in the 'next samsara'. Rukkhadevata states that to save Irminsul, Nahida would have to erase her from it, which would remove all traces of her having ever existed on Teyvat. Nahida is upset at this, but regretfully complies. As Rukkhadevata is removed, Irminsul is restored, which in turn allows the people of Sumeru to dream again and removes the forbidden knowledge completely. Returning to the real world, Nahida and Paimon have forgotten about Rukkhadevata, but as an alien being, the Traveler has not; as the Traveler contemplates telling Nahida the truth, they suddenly fall asleep. Dottore then walks in, having waited too long to speak with Nahida in person and that he simply used a sound wave to put the Traveler and Paimon to sleep, having correctly surmised that it would not affect an archon. He reveals he came to negotiate, but also reminds her that she can't fight him. Nahida admits this, but threatens to destroy the Electro Gnosis, which in turn could potentially awaken Celestia. Dottore falls for the threat, but Nahida, knowing that Ei's Gnosis would bring disaster to Sumeru, agrees to give it to him as long as he destroys his other segments. Dottore states that he spent many rare resources making them, but agrees and eliminates them all. With the deal made, Dottore inquires about her Dendro Gnosis, reasoning it has no use now that the Akasha is going to be shut down. Dottore offers her information about "the skies of Teyvat being fake"in exchange for her own Gnosis. The Traveler regains consciousness at Gandharva Ville, with Paimon waking them up.

   A Toast to Victory Catching up with Collei, the three have breakfast before finding that Nilou had left them a letter. Opening it, they discover that she's invited them to a celebratory feast as Cyno had returned to his original position as General Mahamatra. As they meet up with Tighnari, the Traveler learns that Cyno had brought them to Gandharva Ville to recover, although he was unaware that a feast was being held in his name. The Traveler invites the two along, but they decline, as the Forest Rangers have been much busier as of late. Tighnari also reveals that Azar and the other sages were sentenced by Nahida to spend the rest of their lives in Avidya Forest to cultivate wisdom after hearing that Nahida had defeated Scaramouche and restored Irminsul. Returning to the Grand Bazaar, Nilou tells the Traveler that she had also sent invitations to Alhaitham, Dehya, Dunyarzad, Rahman and Cyno and asks them to look for them to confirm that they got the invitations. Heading into the House of Daena, they find Alhaitham arguing with Kaveh, who had just returned from the desert to discover that the sages had been overthrown. As Kaveh leaves to confirm it with others, Alhaitham notices the Traveler. He remarks on the absurdity of the situation they had just navigated and that he had rejected an offer to become the Grand Sage, as he did not like being a leader. The Traveler informs him of the feast and he agrees to come. Heading to Port Ormos, they find Dehya and Dunyarzard, the latter relieved and delighted that all the Eleazar cases were dealt with. Dehya states that she intends to quit serving as her bodyguard, as she always intended to do if Dunyarzard was cured, wanting to return to her mercenary life. She asks them if Alhaitham told them about considering working for the Akademiya, which they were unaware of. Paimon asks about the invitation, although the two had not been aware of it but thank her and agree to show up. Asking where Cyno and Rahman were, Dehya tells them that they were likely at Aaru Village. Arriving at Aaru Village, the pair catch up with Cyno just as Rahman and Setaria arrive. Setaria reveals that she intends to leave the Akademiya, but continue her studies so she could enrich the well-being of her people, who had been neglected by the Akademiya. Due to Nahida's manipulation earlier, Setaria resolved to return to the desert and was going to confront Azar when she found that he wasn't there, only for Cyno to inform her that he was gone. Nahida, wanting to put the people of the desert on par with the rainforest, devoted many supplies to help out, but Cyno had to contact Rahman's men to get them distributed. Cyno then learns about the feast in his name and agrees to come, while Rahman and Setaria decline as they're too busy. With all the guests confirmed, the Traveler returns to the Grand Bazaar two days later in the evening as the feast goes underway. Noting that everyone had forgotten about Rukkhadevata, and now believed Nahida to have been the Dendro Archon all along, the Traveler decides to keep her memory a secret to honor Rukkhadevata's last wish. After talking to a few people, Nahida connects to the Traveler and uses them as a channel to speak with the rest of the group, thanking them for saving her and all of Sumeru. The group is humbled by her presence before she arrives in-person, bringing the feast to its climax. The following day, the Traveler returns to the Sanctuary to speak with Nahida, who answers their questions about their next stop, Fontaine, and its Archon, Focalors. Nahida also reveals that their sibling, despite not originating from Teyvat, was recorded in Irminsul as suddenly appearing in Khaenri'ah. According to the information in Irminsul, the sibling began traveling across Teyvat after the cataclysm. However, the records surrounding the climax of their journey are fuzzy, leading Nahida to suspect that someone was intentionally withholding information about their fate. Nahida also reveals that the Fatui had classified them as Teyvat's fourth "Descender," a visitor from outside Teyvat. She suspects the first "Descender" to be the Heavenly Principles, but is unsure as to who the other two were, leaving both with many questions. Nonetheless, she promises to help them with their inquiries, hinting that she may appear in their dreams.

   “Caribert”: Destined Encounter Wandering around Port Ormos after sunset, the Traveler and Paimon run into Masrur, who hands them a letter from a "crafty fellow" who used a loophole to guarantee that his letter was delivered to them. They read it and find that the letter was from Kaeya, who was stopping at Sumeru and asks to meet up with them at Djafar Tavern in the afternoon. When they arrive, they find that Kaeya had his fill of all the drinks. Paimon wonders as to what he might be doing in Sumeru, believing that as a Captain of the Knights of Favonius, he should be back in Mondstadt and that Jean would be upset. Kaeya states that he had come to scout out Sumeru's alcohol industry, as the tavern itself was home to a special concoction made with spices. After the Traveler points out that he's alone, Kaeya admits that he had been to Sumeru before but it brings up bad memories. The Traveler tells him that he doesn't have to go into detail, so Kaeya tells them that in his youth, he had heard Crepus discussing sending merchants to Sumeru. Knowing that Khaenri'ah was situated under Sumeru and yearning to learn more about his roots, Kaeya stowed away amid the merchants cargo, only to be brought back to Mondstadt by the ear when he was caught. They ask him how much he knows about the nation, and he admits that he only knows a little from reading books, and as he spent less time in Khaenri'ah, he began to care less about it and wondered if his father wanted him to live happily in Mondstadt. As Kaeya remarks that his last name, Alberich, is the last thing tying him to Khaen'riah, Dainsleif inexplicably appears and asks him what he knew about the name. The Traveler and Paimon are surprised by Dainsleif's appearance while Kaeya greets him, having sensed him listening in onto their conversation. Dainsleif then states that Kaeya's ancestors, the Alberichs, are the founders of the Abyss Order, leaving everyone surprised. Kaeya expresses surprise at the revelation before recognizing Dainsleif as a pure-blooded inhabitant due to his primogem-shaped eyes. Paimon wonders if Kaeya was working for the Abyss Order, but he does not answer that, saying the conversation steered into too serious a topic. Kaeya then takes his leave, since he had a spice merchant to talk business with. As Kaeya leaves, Paimon remarks that the relationship between Kaeya and Dainsleif appears to be tense, comparing it to oil and water. Dainsleif tells her that he doesn't know him well and wonders if Kaeya is being honest about his relationship to the Abyss Order. The Traveler inquires as to the founding of the Order before Paimon asks what he's doing in Sumeru. Dainsleif states that while recovering, he remembered something related to the "Loom of Fate" operation, which the Traveler's Sibling had mentioned when he was traveling with them in Sumeru and thus is trying to find the place they had gone to together in Avidya Forest. Paimon decides to go, but Dainsleif waits for his drink before they do so. Arriving at a small farming field, Dainsleif finds the area familiar and they investigate. Paimon worries about rudely intruding, but Dainsleif senses that no one had been around for years. With few leads in the field, they check the hut and find no leads inside either. Dainsleif then hears something outside, where they discover a group of Slimes. After eliminating them, Dainsleif decides to investigate the nearby Ley Lines alone, concerned that something had attracted the monsters. Paimon is worried, but Dainsleif states that the hut is the main investigation and thus the Traveler and Paimon set up a campfire for the night. Paimon asks about the Traveler's sibling, and the Traveler responds that they had frequently looked together at the stars, pointing out planets they wanted to visit, and shares that their stop at Teyvat marked the first time they had been separated. Paimon volunteers to take watch, so the Traveler falls asleep and dreams of their sibling. The following morning, the Traveler wakes up to find Dainsleif greeting them. Reminding them of their task, he then notices that they must have dreamed of their sibling due to their tears and lets them be.

   Fortune-Mocking Pedigree When the Traveler fully wakes up, they hear noise coming from the house and investigate, only to find an intimidating man scolding them for intruding into his business. They inquire about Paimon, who tells them that she had left for the forest too. When the man tells them to leave, the Traveler refuses, believing he's hiding something and that they have no chance of finding Paimon in the forest. The man admits that he was worried about them being related to the Forest Rangers or Akademiya and allows them to do as they please. When he decides to go inside, the Traveler insists on following, where they find him with a hilichurlwith a bandaged wound. The man explains that "he" was too young to suffer such a fate before the Traveler realizes the man is from Khaenri'ah. He demands an explanation and the Traveler explains that they knew based on his features. He then asks them if they believe in a god, which they don't. The man then introduces himself as "Eide." He explains that there are few humans who follow no gods and considers those who do to be his enemies. As he rants about the gods and their "gift" that ruined Khaenri'ah, the Traveler asks why some were turned into hilichurls and others were not. Eide explains while only one bloodline founded Khaenri'ah, they welcomed all humans who did not follow the gods. Those considered pure-blooded Khaenri'ahns were deemed the "greater sinners" and given the curse of immortality, while the others were given the curse of the wilderness and transformed into hilichurls. The Traveler asks about the hilichurl, and the man introduces him as Caribert, his illegitimate son that he had with a woman from Mondstadt while he was unsatisfied with his life as a noble. The Traveler asks him about Caribert's mother, but the man does not disclose anything as he finds it too painful before he remembers what he was going to do and goes out. The Traveler catches up with him and finds him at a crafting bench, where he reveals that he was creating a potion with materials only found in Sumeru to make a temporary cure. Eide asks for some Sumeru Rosesand Kalpalata Lotus, with the Traveler assisting and making the medicine. However, it has one more step; to get the blessing of one of the Seven, which Eide finds hard to do but eventually goes with it. With the medicine fully prepared, they administer it to Caribert, but it has no effect, leaving Eide angered. The Traveler believes that it wasn't enough so they decide to make more. Eide has them fetch some water to grow the strange mushrooms used in the remedy. He then states that he has to leave and asks the Traveler to not let the Forest Rangers discover the place as he makes the fertilizer. Instead, Fungi appear, which the Traveler repels. As they prepare another dose of the medicine at the Statue of The Seven, Eide notices Caribert leaving and they chase after him.

   A Lamenter at Fate's End Following the hilichurl, Eide realizes that it is not Caribert as it lacks the scarf which he gave him as a gift. Nonetheless, the hilichurl's behavior was unusual and the two decide to follow it to an unknown sanctuary, discovering hilichurls praying to something. Investigating further, the two are greeted by a strange being. The Traveler recognizes it as a being of the Abyss, but is not a member of the Abyss Order. The Traveler defeats it, after which Eide expresses awe at the being's power and how the Traveler easily defeated it. When they reach the end, they find a strange object hung midair and realize that it was the same as the Defiled Statue they encountered before. The Traveler warns Eide to leave, but turns to see Eide suddenly bowing as a mysterious voicethat calls itself a "sinner" begins to speak. As the voice leaves, Eide regains consciousness, awed by the experience. Disturbed, the Traveler insists that they leave and they return to his house. After receiving a second dose of the medicine, Caribert regains consciousness, but is somewhat horrified at what he became. Eide tells him that they're in a fairy tale and under no circumstances he is to take off his mask. Believing that the voice from the strange sanctuary saved his son, Eide returns to it pray, not believing the Traveler's claims that the god was actually a "sinner."

   Portended Fate Worried for his safety, the Traveler returns to the sanctuary to help clear any monsters on the way. When they return to the spot where they'd heard the voice, the statue is nowhere to be seen, and neither are any hilichurls. Eide decides to return his house, believing they would meet the strange deity again. When they arrive, they discover Caribert missing and the mirror broken on the floor. Worried that he took off his mask and saw himself in the mirror, the two try frantically to track him, running into some Forest Rangers on the way. After being sent in the right direction, they find Caribert imbued with the power of the Abyss as he takes his mask off, rendering the Traveler unconscious. Once they regain consciousness, Eide reveals himself as Chlothar Alberich and addresses the Traveler as his “Princess," causing the Traveler to pick up the mirror and see themselves as their sibling before falling unconscious again as Chlothar declares his intention to use the power of the Abyss to fight the gods. When they come to, they find Dainsleif and Paimon over them. Dainsleif states that the Abyss had messed with the Ley Lines in the area and he fixed it before the Traveler explains what they saw to the two. Upon digging the field, they find the remains of a man — which they believe is Chlothar, as he had disappeared 100 years after founding the Abyss Order — and a woman. Dainsleif then states that they have to part ways for now, as "he" may have seen the Traveler, referring to the "sinner" they had seen in the vision. He has his suspicions as to who this sinner is, but needs time to confirm their identity and he'll know who he is for sure in their next meeting as he leaves. The Traveler then hugs Paimon.

   Fontaine Story/Chapter 4: “Prelude of Blancheur and Noirceur”: Soloist's Prologue Arriving at Caravan Ribat, Paimon reminiscences about the first time they arrived, helping free Nahida from the corrupt sages of the Sumeru Akademiya. As they prepare to go off to Fontaine, Dehya arrives and greets them, who had just finished a commission to transport some goods. She asks them what they were planning to do, and when the Traveler mentions going to Fontaine, a Fontainan looks at them with suspicion. Dehya expresses dismay that the pair will be leaving but remembers that they were traveling, so she offers to have some mercenaries escort them to the border between the two nations, though they kindly decline. Dehya comments that it seems like real heroes would leave quietly without fanfare, but wishes them luck on their journey. After finishing up their own business in Sumeru, the Traveler and Paimon walk up to the edge of a desert cliff to see Romaritime Harbor in the distance. Once they arrive at the port, Paimon is amazed by the advanced technology and the two briefly talk about what to do in the nation. The Traveler suggests they meet the Hydro Archon right away, with Paimon wondering what her personality would be like after Nahida mentioned that she had a "unique personality". Seeing two locals nearby, Paimon suggests talking to them to get information about the Hydro Archon. Rena and Etienne talk about the recent trial at the Court of Fontaine, the former explaining that it is similar to an opera house. When Paimon worries about the trials not being taken seriously, Rena tells them that with Neuvillette and the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale created by the Archon, false charges and injustice were a thing of the past. Paimon then asks them where they could meet the Hydro Archon, and Etienne tells her that their archon, Lady Furina, basically lives there. Rena correctly deduces that they want to talk with her and tells them that the process is much more complicated, as she's wildly popular by the people and anyone wanting to see her would have to make an appointment in advance. The Traveler deduces that while the people of Fontaine like their Archon, they do not revere her. As Paimon suggests they spend the time exploring the city, the Traveler spots a girl by the edge of the port and decides to check on her. The girl remarks about a memory in the past, but the area it is associated with is now submerged and she mysteriously states that they will be, too. Before they could go on, her brother appears, thanking them for taking care of Lynette. He then introduces himself as Lyney and Paimon explains that Lynette was talking to them. This surprises Lyney, who explains that she usually keeps to herself. Paimon asks about Lynette's mysterious statements, so Lyney explains that there is a prophecy going around in Fontaine. He then formally greets the pair, shaking hands with the Traveler and patting Paimon on the back. Learning the reason for their visit, Lyney offers to take them to the opera house. As they make their way around, they are instead greeted by Furina and her entourage, surprising Paimon. Furina directly addresses the Traveler and Paimon, aware of the disruption they caused in other nations but nonetheless welcomes them as the nation's Archon. She then asks them if they have the qualities to communicate with her as the person from before bows, having informed her of their arrival. The people believe that the Traveler had come to duel her, so the Traveler draws their sword. Clorinde prepares to intercept, but Furina has her stand down, commending on their bravery to stand against a god. As a normal duel would be too predictable, Furina instead declares that they will have a 'duel' in court, surprising the Traveler and Paimon as they had only just arrived in the nation. Furina then points out that they had just broken a law by releasing a flying object on the first three days of a month - referring to Paimon, thus giving legal grounds to arrest them. Lyney objects to the order on the grounds that Paimon is something else. Furina hears his claim, so Lyney snaps his fingers, revealing a red cord of energy tying the Traveler's hand to Paimon's back. He claims that this makes Paimon a balloon. Furthermore, the pair had arrived in the nation like this, making the charges unwarranted. Furina is entertained and drops the charges. She then leaves, expecting a good performance from Lyney and Lynette later on. Paimon is left baffled by the encounter, while Lyney explains that he had remembered such a law and made preparations just in case. He then reveals that he and his sister are having their first performance in the court, which serves as an opera house when a trial is not in session. Lyney gives them a Magic Pocket and tells them more about the prophecy; everyone is born with sin, and not even the Hydro Archon could absolve them. One day, the water levels would rise in Fontaine, drowning the people and leaving the Hydro Archon alone, weeping on her throne; so that the sins of the nation could be washed away. Paimon asks to why the people are born into sin, but Lyney is not able to give a clear answer. Regardless, the people believed the claims to be baseless until recently when the nation's water levels began to rise. Thus, the Magic Pockets will allow people in the waterside to transport their belongings as they relocate. After giving the Magic Pockets to nearby people, the two return to Lyney, who wanted to have the people prepared in the worst-case scenario. Before they could leave, he asks them to help gather some Romaritime Flowers. Once they do so, they spot a girl pickpocketing the people and concoct a plan to catch her. The twins move in as the Traveler cuts off the thief's escape route. Some time passes and the Traveler decides to check on Lyney, who had returned the stolen items. The thief fled, but Lyney hurt himself, forcing them to abort the pursuit. With everything finally resolved, they take the aquabus. Just as its about to pull out, Charlotte rushes on. Charlotte is surprised to see the Traveler and Paimon, not having heard anything about their visit to the nation. She introduces herself to Lyney and Lynette before discussing recent events, mostly a case with young women disappearing over the past 20 years with no resolution in sight. Once they arrive, Charlotte leaves for an interview. Then Lyney asks the Traveler and Paimon to follow him to their home.

   The City of Rains and Remembrance Arriving at Lyney and Lynette's home, they run into Freminet outside the front door and ask him where everyone else went. Freminet tells them that everyone went out, prompting Lyney to state that "Father" was returning soon. Freminet then asks Lyney about something in private, after which he collects the materials for the Magic Pockets. Suddenly, the sky begins to darken and rain breaks loose, surprising Paimon. Lyney tells them that the weather usually changes when trials take place while Freminet looks at the sky. He tells Paimon he heard story that the Hydro Dragon used to live in Fontaine. While no one knew where it went, people believe that when it wept, the skies cloud up and rain. The rain lasts longer than usual, so Lyney decides to finish some business and asks Freminet to take the supplies to the workshop. Freminet is too scared to go, being an introvert, so the Traveler offers to it for him. Arriving at Beaumont Workshop, they hand the items to Estelle. She tells them they don't have to pay, as Lyney did so in advance. Paimon is impressed by the machine she use. Estelle tells her that the machine runs on Indemnitium, a source of power made from the trials at the court. She then talks about another source of energy before being rudely interrupted by Truand and his lackeys from the Confrerie of Cabriere. As the Traveler tries try to leave, Childeunexpectedly appears and warns the group of their own debt to Northland Bank. Paimon waves at Childe, surprising him. He says he was getting bored and their arrival meant things would get interesting. Childe continues his talk with the Traveler and Paimon, angering Truand to the point that he and his lackeys attack. Childe easily overwhelms them, with the Traveler and Paimon serving as witnesses to his actions being made in self-defence. Truand then realizes that Childe is actually one of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, but Childe suddenly loses control of his Hydro weapons and they vanish. Truand takes the opportunity to attack, but Childe knocks him out with a single punch. The Traveler, Paimon and Childe wonder what happened, though Childe reasures them that he still has his Delusion as a backup. Paimon asks what he's doing in Fontaine. Childe tells them that he has been in a bad mood recently and began to feel something stirring inside him. Paimon surmises that this might be the cause of his Hydro Vision weakening. Childe then tells them about his time in the Abyss, including his meeting with Skirk, who took him as an apprentice because he had "it" on him and her lessons would help in the future. Childe then reveals that while he's been idling around in Fontaine, he's been sparring with their official Champion Duelists. Childe explains that before going to court, the accused are given one chance to redeem their honor in a duel against a Champion Duelist, but they are some of the nation's strongest fighters. If the defendant wins, the charges are dropped, but if they lose, they must go to trial, though some simply die and rarely anyone has ever been freed in such a manner. Childe states that he was about to spar with Clorinde. Then, in light of recent events, he gives the Traveler his Vision for safekeeping so that it doesn't get in the way of his duel, before leaving. Heading to the Fountain of Lucine, the Traveler hears a mysterious voice as Lynette appears to greet them. They ask her about the voice, so she gives them a theory about the tears that eventually flow into the fountain holding intense emotions. She then takes them inside the opera house to catch up with Lyney, believing a talk with him would allow him to cool his nerves before the big show. Inside, Lyney gives them tickets to the best seats before being called by Cowell to handle the props. As they go inside to their seats, they find a man seated next to them, resulting in a long, awkward moment. The man then apologizes, with Paimon introducing herself and the Traveler. The man had heard about their travels across Teyvat and attempts to introduce himself, only for Lyney to come in and call him by his name, Neuvillette, being pleased to see he was going to watch his show. Lyney properly introduces Neuvillette to the two, even showing the seat at the top of the court which the chief justice uses. Neuvillette then tells the Traveler that Furina was trying to get their attention, so they look at her briefly, which he deems enough to satisfy her. As the audience trickles into the opera, Lyney and Lynette begin the show. Lyney performs some small tricks before bringing in a water tank. He does a trick to make Lynette disappear inside the tank before she reappears outside, which entertains Furina and the guests. Paimon is left shocked at how he was able to pull it off. Neuvillette tells her that she should be focusing on the show and not the hidden tricks. Lyney then pulls out two magic boxes and uses a machine to "randomly" select an audience member. In the process Lyney has some difficulty in finishing the trick. While he successfully gets out of his own box, the audience member fails to do so. The water tank from earlier falls, crushing the box and leaving Lyney shocked. Neuvillette puts the entire opera house into lockdown. After a quick investigation, Neuvillette reveals that Cowell was found dead in the box and the girl from the audience has gone missing, making her the latest victim in the serial disappearances of women case. Furina then declares Lyney a suspect due to the circumstances involved. Neuvillette then asks Furina if she was going to press charges on Lyney, which surprises her. However, in order to please the audience, she ends up declaring a different kind of "duel" between her and the Traveler: she will be the prosecutor in Lyney's trial, and invites the Traveler, at their stated trust of Lyney, to be his attorney. Neuvillette then declares the trial set for the following day, confirming the Traveler's decision to be the defence, while Furina wonders what the Traveler would do in the trial. As everyone leaves, the Traveler and Paimon talk with Lyney and Lynette, who are relieved that they have their support for the upcoming trial.

   Lies Cast Shadows Under Gathered Lights As they go to collect evidence, the Traveler and Paimon speak to Esmond, who believes that Lyney is truly the suspect. Searching around, they begin to build up a case to defend Lyney. During the process, they run into a mysterious woman guarded by two men in black suits. She introduces herself as Navia, and alongside Silver and Melus, they are members of the Spina di Rosula, an investigation organization. Navia agrees to help, as she sees the trials as something more serious and her group is also after the truth behind the disappearances. After showing how they performed the magic box trick, Lyney and Lynette are escorted out. This leaves the Traveler, Paimon, Navia and her associates to investigate the tunnel under the stage that they used. During the investigation, the group discovers many irregularities and Paimon jots down notes. Navia suggests they go to collect their thoughts, but Melus tells them that they are now associated with the twins, so they cannot leave until the trial concludes. As the group needs some tea and snacks, Melus reveals a baking stove and Silver takes out ingredients, which Navia uses to make macarons. Paimon takes two extra macarons, but swears she's taken the same amount as everyone else. The trio then leave to collect more information, so the Traveler waits the following day for the trial to start. The next day, Neuvillette declares the trial to start while both parties give their statements. When Lyney maintains his innocence, Furina points out that around the halfway mark, there was a loud thud and expresses doubt that he could not have heard it, surprising him, while the scales tilt in her favor. She then exposes them as members of the Fatui's House of the Hearth, surprising the Traveler and Paimon. This results in the audience supporting Furina's claims while she notices the Traveler is speechless, believing herself to have won. Neuvillette asks Lyney to confirm this, and he does, resulting in the scale dropping further towards Furina. The Traveler then requests a recess on the basis that Lyney has withheld information necessary to their defense, which Neuvillette grants for an hour. At the opera's backstage, Lyney expresses surprise that Furina would have dug deep into their past, while the Traveler and Paimon are upset by the deception and that they were Fatui members. The twins apologize for not being more transparent, but Lyney insists that he is innocent in this case. The Traveler agrees to help see justice served correctly, so Lyney begins telling them his perspective of the events - he wanted to investigate the Oratrice's core, but ended up retreating when a voice called out to him. When he got back into the tunnel, he saw the smashed vase and scattered clothes, though he could not give it much thought as the countdown was about to end. Furina manages to regain some of the audience's sway after the Traveler is unable to deduce the full truth, but the Traveler then realizes that they need to approach it from another angle. They request to inspect Cowell's belongings, believing he may have used the water from the tank to take another form. Furina finds this absurd, as it's only a magic trick. However, Neuvillette agrees to the request so that the trial can progress. Esmond then comes in and reveals that Cowell's bag had labeled tubes of water from the Primordial Sea and that he belonged to an organization selling illegal drugs. Navia then realizes something and leaves with her associates. With the new evidence supporting Lyney's innocence, Neuvillette allows the Traveler to continue with their hypothesis, tilting the scales towards Lyney's favor. Furina, on the other hand, becomes worried about having wrongly accused someone, even agreeing slightly with their reasoning. Neuvillette then brings in Vaughn, having been informed of new evidence found; the same water was found in Lyney's belongings. Furina uses the opportunity to cement her claim, knowing that the Traveler has nothing to defend against it. However, before the sentencing can start, Navia bursts in with new evidence. She reveals the magic box from before and asks Lyney to repeat the trick. Lyney snaps his fingers and the missing woman from the audience reappears. She confesses to the entire crime and reveals that she is actually Liliane, not Halsey. She was the thief that the Traveler and Lyney were chasing at the harbor. She stole a ticket and came to the show to relax. She became terrified when the random number generator picked her and Lyney mentioning the Fortress of Meropide (a prison), believing he was onto her. While in the magic box, she was unexpectedly soaked with water and, in her panic, forced her way out, causing the thump. She was confronted by Cowell, but managed to smash the vase over his head, knocking him out, and put him in the box instead, where he would unexpectedly meet his end. She would hide in a chest of costumes that also provided a change of dry clothes. Navia would later discover her, having realized that the extra macrons that Paimon supposedly took were actually snatched by the starving Liliane, trapped in the opera house with no food on hand. Now relating the story in Liliane's perspective, the scales tip towards Lyney's favor, leaving Furina shocked and unable to muster any words. She admits defeat and Neuvillette puts the information into the Oratice, which returns a "Not Guilty" verdict to acquit Lyney and Lynette. However, Neuvillette does remark that both Lyney and Liliane's conduct should warrant additional investigation. Neuvillette then realizes that Vaughn was Cowell's accomplice because he previously presented false evidence to frame Lyney. Furina yells at him for deceiving her judgement and Neuvillette recommends he confess to everything and seek the protection of the Gardes. Vaughn begins to confess to the entire plot, but before he could reveal the identity of the "Boss", he dissolves into water. Neuvillette orders another inspection on the entire audience, though no evidence is yielded. With the case over, Lyney and Lynette talk to the Traveler again, thanking them for their help and apologizing for the deception. They explain that, as orphans, their goals aligned with the House of the Hearth and the Knave. After their parents died, he and Lynette were able to survive after watching a street performer's show. After being adopted by a noble, Lyney became horrified when he learned that she was being trafficked to another noble with a penchant for young girls. He went to rescue her, but when he arrived, the Knave had already slain the noble, rescuing her and several others before offering them a spot in the House of the Hearth. Lyney reveals that the Knave, who is also known as Arlecchino, believed in the prophecy. Thus, before she took the Hydro Gnosis to Snezhnaya, she would try to use it to save their home, Fontaine. Lyney apologizes again for the deception but promises to help should they need it. As the Traveler prepares to leave the opera house, Navia and her associates manage to catch up, believing that the whole case is not solved yet. However, she learns from them that they were only there to defend Lyney, not the disappearances case. Despite this, she decides to have a farewell meal at Hotel Debord, which the Traveler and Paimon agree to.

   "As Light Rain Falls Without Reason": Like the Faint Moonlight of Yesteryear Arriving at Hotel Debord, Navia orders food as the three sit at a table and begin to enjoy it. They talk about the disappearance case; due to the previous trial, they now know that there is an organization behind the disappearances, though unsure as to their motives. While Paimon laments the fact that they were close to finding out who they were, Navia expresses a lack of faith in the Garde, stating that they needed to look at the case from another perspective to gain more clues. Navia then asks them what they plan to do, learning that they wanted to speak with Furina as part of their journey to find the truth of Teyvat, though the chance was lost after the trial. Navia then suggests less legitimate means, though the Traveler and Paimon shoot them down. However, this results in them getting an idea to talk to her while she's on break, since Navia believes that Furina was embarrassed after losing the trial. Navia then notices that her Fonta was gone, resulting in Paimon apologizing for drinking it. The Traveler and Paimon note that the Fonta tasted salty, so Navia decides to blacklist the hotel's Fonta should they return. She later sees them off, promising to help them with their requests should the need arrive. Returning to the Fountain of Lucine that same evening, both Paimon and the Traveler hears a voice calling for Vacher from the fountain and walks towards it, the Traveler blacking out in the process. When they come to, they find themselves mentally connected with an Oceanid, asking them about Vacher. The Traveler tells it they are not Vacher, while the Oceanid tells them that it has lost a lot of their memories while human, causing them to realize that they were one of the disappearing girls. The Traveler offers to find Vacher, but the Oceanid refuses, as their reunion has since long passed and that Vacher had no choice but to move on with his life. She laments the fact that she could not comfort Vacher as she was dissolving, but nonetheless is glad that they sensed her presence and tells them to tell Vacher to forget about her before sending them out, as Paimon was calling for them. When the Traveler comes back to the real world, they immediately find Navia, Silver and Melusfighting a large horde of Clockwork Meka. During the battle, Navia spots Clorinde, and her assistance allows them to defeat the entire horde. Afterwards, Navia asks Clorinde how she managed arrive in time, who admits that she was following her because danger had been tracking her too closely as of late and wanted to honor her father'swishes, though this simply creates tension as Navia is still upset about her father's demise. Getting back to the point, Clorinde tells them that the mastermind behind the disappearances is very powerful and that their performance would certainly attract their attention. Navia asks her how the Meka were controlled, as the Gardemeks could only be operated by the Maison Gardiennage. Clorinde tells her that these were illegal meka, as they had no serial numbers when she checked them and likely served as a private force for some rich or powerful individual. She warns them to be careful, though Navia insists that they'll find the truth behind the matter. As Clorinde leaves, Melus tells Navia that she could have tried to thaw relations, though Navia admits she finds it hard to do so. Paimon tells the Traveler that the Meka appeared after they fell unconscious, only for Navia and her group to save her. Navia credits Paimon for tipping her off, as Fonta is sweet, not salty, and recalled that the color of the Fonta she'd been served at the hotel had been off - she came to realize that it had been spiked with water from the Primordial Sea, and Paimon had accidentally thwarted an assassination attempt on her. Navia also realized that the Traveler was in danger and came to their rescue. As Paimon had also been able to hear the Oceanid this time, they put together from what Lynette had told them that the Primordial Seawater in the Fonta had raised her Hydro sensitivity. The Traveler then tells her about the Oceanid they encountered in the water, giving them a good lead. With the Traveler and Paimon volunteering to fully join Navia's investigation, Navia takes them to one of Spina di Rosula's bases to stay for the night and discuss it further. Heading into the sewers of the Court of Fontaine, the group catches up to Melus, who had gone ahead to prepare the night's accommodations. Navia admits that when her father was the head of Spina di Rosula, their funding was much better. Asking about her father, they learn from her that three years ago, her father, Callas, was accused of murdering his friend Jacques, but rather than standing trial, he chose to duel to maintain his honor, only to die doing so. He had even refused to yield once he was sufficiently injured enough for it to count as a loss. Therefore, coupled with the death of her mother (who he had hidden from her also), she was resolved to find the truth, believing that the disappearance cases was tied to the murder. Melus reveals that the duelist who killed Callas was Clorinde, hence their strained relationship. Clorinde had let them know afterward that before the duel started Callas asked her to ensure Navia was kept safe, indicating that he was determined to die in the arena. The following day, the Traveler and Paimon find Navia greeting them, who had sent Melus and Silver back to their headquarters in Poisson. She had spent the night trying to find out who Vacher was, but discovered that there were no public records of him at all. However, she decides that there is one place that they could never reach - the case file archives stored by Neuvillette, which would be their best bet to find more information. Despite having suggested it herself, Navia is hesitant about it but pushes forward nonetheless.

   The Truth, Lost With the Rain Heading to Neuvillette's office at the Palais Mermonia, the three are stopped by Sedene, who asks the reason for their visit. Navia claims they came to archive information on a follow-up case, so Sedene lets them pass. They enter Neuvillette's office, with Paimon apologizing for the deception. Neuvillette does not mind and asks why they came, so Navia tells them that they were looking for a man named Vacher, who was a witness to the disappearance case. Neuvillette makes a thorough search through the files but finds nothing about Vacher. As they leave, he apologizes to Navia for Callas' death, resulting in her becoming offended as she knew he had no emotion behind his words and that even though he agreed that something was wrong with the case, he let the duel proceed. After calming down, she apologizes for taking her emotions out on him and leaves. Outside, it begins to rain even though it had been sunny out just earlier, causing Navia to recall how it was raining the day Callas was convicted. When she confirms that it was also raining the night Jacques was murdered, the Traveler realizes that now knowing about Primordial Seawater, the real murderer might have been dissolved into water, and the rain helped to leave no evidence of their presence at the crime scene. Navia agrees, so they head to her headquarters in Poisson and catch up with Melus. There, Navia deduces that with her father's case, there had been a popular drink known as Sinthe, which with what they know now, she is certain was created with Primordial Seawater. Sinthe was popular for recreation, but the effects of long-term consumption describe the result of drug abuse and deeply affected the drinkers and their families. Callas, seeing the danger, banned it from his group which incurred the sellers' wrath. To learn more about the mastermind, he cultivated relationships with some of the vendors, such as Jacques, who was ashamed of his work and eventually agreed to become his informant. During a banquet, Callas is assumed to have shot Jacques dead, though she now knows that a third party might have been involved as there were clothes lying around at the scene. Melus warns Navia that there was no shame in backing out of the case as their enemy was highly dangerous, but Navia insists on finding the truth. Melus reveals that he had hidden more from Navia; Callas was diagnosed with an illness that left him with less than five years to live and that he had a contingency plan by exposing the dangers of Sinthe to the public - the group had targeted Navia as the next victim, but did not make an attempt on her life until now because their plans and motives would be exposed if they did so, as Callas would have had no reason not to reveal everything he knew in a court trial. Melus is confident that with the Traveler's help, she could uncover the truth for herself. He advises that they not storm their headquarters, as that was tantamount to war. Instead, he gives three potential suspects to investigate that he had weeded out over the past three years - Florent, Thierry and Marcel, but they first stop to check in with Jacques' family, who had stayed in Poisson ever since Callas had taken them in. Collecting evidence, they discover that Jacques' betrayal was noticed by the higher-ups in his organization and his wife believes he was forced to kill Callas, but struggled with the order. They also learn that Callas was off on the day of the murder and that when he left the banquet to get some air outside, he had left his gun inside, ruling out the possibility that he had a second gun on him to kill Jacques. When they meet up with Thierry, she asks him about the Gardemeks that attacked her. He tells her that they were nearly impossible to modify without keeping a secret and that either someone rich and/or powerful could get their hands on private units. Finally, they meet up with Marcel; while he does not recall the events during the banquet, he is willing to defend her. With all the information collected, the Traveler concludes that Marcel was the likely suspect, seeing that he was the only one of the three to be wealthy enough to afford private Meka. Before they could go any further, Thierry urgently informs them that the authorities have accused Tartagliaof the disappearances. Realizing what's going on, the Traveler offers to infiltrate the enemy headquarters while Navia goes to the opera house to accuse Marcel and stall for time.

   When All Return to the Waters Heading underwater to the Sinthe production facility, the Traveler and Paimon arrive at the entrance and infiltrate it. Back at the opera house, Tartaglia is confused as to what he's being charged for but is willing to accept it if he could duel Clorinde again, as he was disappointed that she had held back in their sparring session. Before the trial could go anywhere, Navia barges in and accuses Marcel of being the prime suspect, referring back to her father's case. Neuvillette reiterates the official conclusions of the case for the record, which Navia refutes with the evidence she acquired. Furina asks for physical proof, which she does not have, but Navia states that it would be coming soon, while Neuvillette orders Marcel to court. She also reveals that she had been the next target in the disappearing cases, prompting Furina to ask why Callas did not want to defend himself. Navia explains that if Callas had done so, she and the rest of Spina di Rosula would have been targeted and many lives would have been lost. She then asks Clorinde to testify to Callas' state of mind in the arena, since she was the one who killed him. Furina asks Clorinde if what Navia said was true, which she confirms; as a Champion Duelist, she could tell when someone was fighting to live or die, and that Callas wanted to die. Furina finds this as sufficient to open the case, but Neuvillette asks Navia to explain the link between her father and the disappearances. Navia states that on that day, the suspect would have had to attend both events and was willing to dissolve someone in water in front of many witnesses to protect their identity; coincidentally, Marcel was at both events. Marcel defends himself by stating that she was rushing headlong without sufficient evidence by proving where he was and pointing out he'd moved to Fontaine after the disappearances had begun, turning the scales in his favor. However, Navia pulls a trump card by mentioning Vacher, which catches him by surprise, confirming that he did know him. Back at the Sinthe facility, the Traveler and Paimon begin to explore and fight through private meka units, reach the innermost sanctum and collecting evidence for Navia's case. They discover that Vacher was the one conducting the experiments. After collecting enough, they find the notebook of Vacher's lover Vigneire, containing Marcel's name. Vigneire had decided on it as the name for a future child they could have together. Returning to the opera house, the Traveler accuses Marcel of truly being Vacher, inspired by the name of the child that never came to be and presents the evidence to Neuvillette, who asks Marcel to defend himself. Marcel does not, instead blaming the system for failing him as when he reported about the dissolving to the Garde, they simply laughed him off. He even drinks a large amount of the Primordial Seawater to prove it has no effect on non-Fontainians, and thus he couldn't commit suicide in a way that would reunite him with Vigneire. As he appears to show signs of mental distress, Neuvillette declares that Tartaglia is innocent and reviews the evidence provided by the Traveler, recollecting the entire event. He then submits the information into the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, which returns a "Guilty" verdict. Tartaglia prepares to leave, but Neuvillette stops him, as he has to be formally cleared from the charges initially pressed against him. Neuvillette puts the information in the Oratrice, which hands a "Guilty" verdict on Tartaglia, surprising everyone present, as it was the first time that it gave a verdict different than his own. Tartaglia is unamused and attempts to escape using his Electro Delusion and his Foul Legacy Transformation taking down several Gardemeks. Before he could fully transform, however, Neuvillette leaps from his seat and crashes down on Tartaglia, using an unknown Hydro power to knock him out. As the Gardemeks apprehend Tartaglia, Neuvillette apologizes to him but promises to personally investigate the matter. Once the scene settles, the Traveler and Paimon talk to him about the verdict. He admits that it is the first time the machine had put him in a situation like this, but had to uphold the court rules nonetheless. Neuvillette suggests asking Furina, though when everyone stares at her, she becomes nervous and even shows signs of agitation before composing herself, claiming that the verdict was right and leaves to save face. Neuvillette assures the Traveler that he'll look into Childe's verdict on his own time and find the truth. As the Traveler leaves the auditorium, they run into Marcel being escorted by Garde Esmond. Marcel asks the Traveler how they knew of Vacher, who tells them about the fountain. He asks to go to the fountain, which a passing Neuvillette grants as he accompanies them there. They then begin to hear Vigneire's voice and Marcel finds himself in the dream realm, witnessed by the Traveler. He meets the Oceanid, but it is not Vigneire, but instead the collective consciousnesses of the women he had dissolved and had merged with Vigneire, thus she knew of all of his crimes. The Oceanid tells him that Vigneire is avoiding him because of his actions and that she did not want him to come because they would kill him. The entire consciousness, including Vigneire, "drown" Marcel; in the real world, doctors rule his death as a panic attack. A few days later, the Traveler and Paimon finish shopping in the rainy streets of the Court of Fontaine and cross paths with Navia. With her father's honor restored, Navia held a belated memorial for him with the rest of Spina di Rosula and made amends with Clorinde. She had decided to visit his grave and the Traveler asks to join her. When they arrive, they find Neuvillette there, who explains why he let the duel between him and Clorinde continue. He admits that he believed at the time that humans would prioritize their lives over justice, and if Callas was innocent, he surely wouldn't go so far as to let himself die for justice. To his sorrow, Callas had proved him wrong and that without his sacrifice, the case would have never been solved. After paying their own respects, the Traveler and Paimon asks Neuvillette several questions. He reveals that he had foreseen the possibility that one day he would conclude with a different verdict, and was prepared for such an outcome from the Oratrice. He promises to continue investigating Childe to prove his innocence and that Furina herself took the prophecy seriously.

   "To The Stars Shining in The Depths": A Tea Party Most Thorny Walking around the Court of Fontaine, Paimonsuggests to the Traveler that they take a rest at the Spina di Rosula base underneath the city. A few days pass before Isadora arrives, telling the two that Neuvillette wishes to speak with them at Palais Mermonia. Neuvillette tells them that he has a situation on his hands, but wants the Traveler to get the full story first before deciding whether or not they wish to help him in the matter. Earlier, Neuvillette asked Furina about The Knavehaving requested a meeting with her, which he recommends to decline due to the recent eventsresulting in Childe's apprehension and detainment in the Fortress of Meropide. However, Furina decides to entertain the Knave's request as she believes that they needed to explain their actions and expresses confidence in Neuvillette's assistance, though Neuvillette points out that it could make the matters worse, aside from his lacking social skills; nonetheless, he agrees to help. Furina accepts the request and has the Knave arrive, who thanks them for their service to the House of the Hearth in part due to making the children's lives better. However, she came specifically for Childe and requests his custody, though Neuvillette denies it since the trial had already concluded. She then suggested entering the Fortress of Meropide to check on his condition, though Neuvillette tells her that the prison operates outside of the court's jurisdiction, but instead offered a proposal to her. Back in the present, Neuvillette informs the two that things are even more complicated because Childe had also disappeared from the prison, though he is not sure as to where he went since there were no reports of him being seen outside the prison either. His proposal to the Knave was to have someone else investigate on her behalf, which she accepted with some hesitation. He can only turn to the pair as the courts have no jurisdiction to conduct any investigations at the Fortress, even if he does know the administrator personally. He needs a third party on the inside to secretly investigate Childe's disappearance, and as they already know him well, they may spot a clue that a stranger would miss. To enter the prison quickly, he would have to press false charges on them, which they accept. He suggests they enjoy some finer things ahead of time to prepare themselves for incarceration, and gives them a Fruity Trio cake sitting on his desk as thanks. Arriving at Café Lutece, Paimon, having devoured the entire cake beforehand, eagerly orders several dishes from the menu in anticipation of only getting prison food when Charlotte incidentally arrives. Paimon accidentally mentions that they're going to the prison, causing Charlotte to ask what they did. The Traveler manages to bluff their way out with the claim of a rather minor offence, though Charlotte asks them to help gather information about Wriothesley for a new story, as he was given the rare title of "Duke" and that there's virtually no information about him. In exchange, she offers to pay for their meal, but immediately regrets it when the waiter returns with two loaded serving carts of food. Neuvillette accompanies them to the prison's entrance, where he hands them off to the guards; the charges against the Traveler and Paimon are eating cake meant for Furina (the Fruity Trio from earlier) and that they are to spend 45 days in prison as punishment.

   Fortress of Meropide Inside the fortress, the Traveler and Paimon are escorted by Deakin, who explains about life in the prison, mostly the Credit Coupons which serve as the prison's currency. When they arrive at the actual entrance, the three are greeted by a large number of Gardemeks and Wriothesley himself, who takes over the rest of the prison tour. During the tour, they run into Lyney, though he pretends not to know them. Finally, they head to the infirmary and meet head nurse Sigewinne, concluding the tour. As the two are led to the dormitory, the Traveler and Paimon talk about Lyney's presence, thus concluding that they too are also investigating the prison and resolve to meet with him the next day. After doing some work, they meet up with Lyney and Lynette, who threw themselves in prison with a small "theft" performance to do so along with Freminet. Lyney, not wanting to hide any more secrets following his previous experience with them, reveals that the prison hides a secret and that "Father" was able to confirm that Furina did not have the Hydro Gnosis, though they are unaware how she did so. Therefore, they should focus on learning about the "forbidden zone". As they have their meal, Vidoc heads to them, telling them not to break any "hidden rules" and that they should speak to him when they get more coupons. Once their meal is finished, the two return to the dorms and sleep, while the Traveler has a flashback of Childe's time in the prison.

   The Proscribed, Hidden in Plain Sight The next day, the Traveler informs Paimon of the dream they had of Childe. They decide to learn about the "rules", exploring the facilities that the prison has to offer. During their investigation, they learn two of the "rules"; working for three days straight would result in being served mystery meat and that it was not allowed to bet on two fighters in a match. After acquiring all they could for the day, the Traveler realizes that they aren't related to Childe and take a rest.

   Lost in Deep Seas Having acquired enough coupons, the Traveler and Paimon approach Vidoc and ask him about the "hidden rules". He tells them to avoid the pipes late in the night, as there are rumors of cannibals preying on victims and turning them into other "forms". They prepare to investigate the new rule after lunch, where they discover Vidoc missing, but other people nearby. They ask them, but are refused, leaving them suspicious. Needing another angle, they instead approach Fielding and tell him that they have trouble sleeping at night due to strange sounds. He confirms this, having heard rumors from his colleagues that they happen during pipe-cleaning days they have every month, with one of them happening tonight. They then return to the dormitory and sleep, where the Traveler gets a vision of Childe and realizes that he used the pipes to escape. Following the pipes, they find the three people from before, who admit that the "hidden rules" were a farce to protect Childe. They had originally viewed him with disdain, but he proved them wrong with his strength and they decided to follow him. One day, he told them he had to leave as he heard that "voice" again, escaping through the pipes, though he had not returned for some time. They approach the entrance to where he left, but find it completely flooded. With this new information, the Traveler decides to have Lyney ask Freminet to help in the task. Paimon is puzzled as to Childe's behavior, but is confident that they'll get to the bottom of the situation in no time.

   "Cataclysm's Quickening": Into the Deepwater Murk The following morning, the Traveler and Paimonwake up and just as they're deciding to use up some Credit Coupons to take the morning off, they find one of Lyney's cards left in their cell. They learn that day happens to be the prison's monthly "free day" off, and Lyney wants to meet at the usual spot as he has new information. On the way to meet Lyney, the two run into various individuals, such as Laverune and Cuistot, the "Bombshell Bros". They learn from them that getting the Duke's attention is beneficial and that two people have been frequently visiting the infirmary. They also overhear several prisoners deciding to stay in the prison even after their sentences are over. Lyney reveals that "Father"knew that Childe had initially come to Fontaine for personal reasons, and they were tasked with finding his location. Lyney agrees that Freminetwould be best suited to dive the flooded tunnel, while Lynette would continue gathering information, and Lyney himself would assist Freminet in getting to the tunnel, as he's not the stealthiest. Still needing more information, Lyney asks the Traveler to help infiltrate the infirmary by feigning illness, though they get no relevant information from Sigewinne or the two people, Jurieu and Lourvine. During the next few days, the Traveler collects information and passes it to Lynette, preparing for their meeting with Lyney.

   The Truth Shrouded in Shadow On the ninth day, the Traveler meets up with Lyney, who reveals that Lynette had also feigned illness to acquire more information from the infirmary, as sending the Traveler again would be too suspicious. However, when they arrive, Lynette is nowhere to be seen and the bed she was using tidied, causing Lyney to become uneasy. They soon discover a paper and read the contents, learning that Wriothesley had known of their motives. Lyney, worried for his siblings' safety and mentally reminded of Lynette's kidnapping years earlier, decides to confront Wriothesley, against the Traveler's wishes, forcing them to follow him into the office. Lyney heads to the administrative office and accuses Wriothesley of kidnapping Lynette and likely Freminet, though he appears to dodge the accusation, much to his anger. Wriothesley states that he simply locked Freminet out, knowing that he would not abandon his family. He offers Lyney a proposal; their safety would be guaranteed if he asks "Father" to come for a talk, since he did not like the Fatui intrusion in his fortress, though Lyney refuses, believing that he was trying to blackmail them. Wriothesley decides to end the negotiation for his afternoon tea, though the Traveler steps in on Lyney's behalf. Wriothesley hears the Traveler out, since he knows they had come at Neuvillette's request and agrees to release them if they answer several questions of his. Wriothesley questions the Traveler over the "hidden rules", starting with the Production Zone. They deduce that the "strange meat" is actually Sigewinne's cooking in secret at the Coupon Cafeteria, meant to help restore stamina to those working non-stop, but because of how Melusinesperceive differently, humans would believe it to be non-edible and thus avoid it. Wriothesley is pleased that someone acknowledges Sigewinne's cooking efforts, and then asks them about the strange red liquid. The Traveler deduces that the liquid is actually a new Fonta recipe the company is market testing on the prisoners for consumer feedback, which was only accepted because Wriothesley had allowed it, and thus meant to teach prisoners how to spend their Coupons wisely. Wriothesley acknowledges the answer and then asks about the secret behind Sigewinne and the people in the infirmary, though the Traveler is unable to answer it as they had not covered it. Lyney suddenly snaps and charges at Wriothesley, alarming the Traveler, but before he could do anything, he is hit in the neck by a projectile. Sigewinne had come in and had shot a tranquillizer dart, which causes him to collapse before Wriothesley states that they have incoming guests. The guests turn out to be Clorinde carrying an unconscious Freminet whom Sigewinne immediately examines and diagnoses from his symptoms that he consumed Primordial Seawater, shocking Lyney. Clorinde reveals that the concentration of Primordial Seawater had increased significantly around the prison and that Freminet had fallen ill when he tried to follow Childe's path. He had turned back the way he came and fell unconscious, but was close enough for Clorinde to rescue him without falling prey to the Seawater herself. Wriothesley explains that he only had the exit locked just in case Lyney tried to search for Freminet, as that would also have put him in harm's way, and Clorinde would not have been able to save them both in time. Sigewinne concludes from her examination that Freminet's condition is fortunately not critical and gives him a pill while Lynette arrives and the twins help get him to the infirmary, where he regains consciousness and warns the group of his discovery, recalling the events leading up to his near-death encounter. Learning that Clorinde had saved him, he decides to thank her in person. As she busies herself with Freminet's treatment, Sigewinne suggests they talk to Wriothesley for more information, while Lyney decides to remain behind with his siblings.

   Secret Keepers and Forbidden Zones Returning to the office, the Traveler and Paimon ask Wriothesley to "enlighten" them about recent events. He tells them that he knew the children were all Fatui operatives at the start and originally believed they were sent to find Childe, but learned of Lyney's true motive during their work around the prison; he wanted to look into the "forbidden zone". Once he realized this, he intervened for both their and the prison's safety and that he had hired Clorinde for "side work". He offers to take them to the "forbidden zone", which they accept. Wriothesley takes them to the area, explaining that as administrator, only he was allowed to enter. When they arrive at the central room, they find a large sluice gate in the middle of the room, where he asks Paimon what she thinks the gate was for. Paimon makes some guesses, but Wriothesley tells her she's incorrect and explains the gate's purpose and the readings of a gauge on the gate. It had never moved when he first laid eyes on it, but it had slowly begun to increase in the past year into the red; coupled with Freminet's near-death experience, he concludes that the gate must be holding back the Primordial Sea from swallowing Fontaine and that it would eventually fail. Wriothesley then explains about the fortress' purpose; when the previous Hydro Archon, Egeria, ruled the land, all the criminals were exiled with nowhere to go and shunned by society. Some of these people began to repent and beg for forgiveness, which she granted by having them guard her secret beneath the waves, which they did with the construction of the first iteration of the fortress. Meeting up with Jurieu and Lourvine, Wriothesley reveals that after believing the Primordial Sea to be behind the gate, he had begun constructing a massive ship after being inspired by Remurian legend, though it had been kept secret from the rest of the prison as they would likely riot should they learn of it. Before they leave, he tells them that they had the option of informing Lyney and his group of what he just told them.

   Calamitous Tread Returning to the infirmary, Lyney informs the Traveler and Paimon of his deductions through their information they acquired, which impresses the two as he was nearly right on every topic. They in turn then inform the three of what they learned from Wriothesley, telling them that this was no time to fight. The three siblings are shocked by the revelation but thank them for the information, with Lyney thanking them for saving his family. Paimon soon becomes hungry and they head to the cafeteria, where Sigewinne treats them to a delicious meal, having already led Clorinde there for the same reason. Once the meal is finished, the two return to the dorms to sleep, only to be awakened by alarms and Cuistot, Laverune and others in a panicked evacuation. Cuistot informs them that they've been given orders to head upwards, away from the bottom. The Traveler realizes that the sluice gate was likely failing and sending Cuistot and Laverune on their way to evacuate, they rush down to find Wriothesley, finding him with Clorinde just as the gate fails. Wriothesley manages to hold the waters briefly with his Cryo powers, though the pressure soon smashes through the ice. Clorinde then shoots a control panel with Electroto drop the security gates behind him before Wriothesley freezes the entire gate to stop the water from advancing. With a brief moment of respite, Wriothesley informs the Traveler to fetch Neuvillette, knowing that they would not be able to hold back the water for long. Returning to surface entrance to the prison behind the Opera Epiclese, they find Neuvillette already coming, who asks them to watch Furina as she was in a meeting with the Knave, worried for her safety and agrees to head to the prison to deal with the growing situation. The Traveler and Paimon arrive at the meeting, diplomatically defending Furina from the Knave's attempts to pressure her. During the meeting, Paimon notices their cups shaking, making Arlecchino realize that they might be in the next stage of the prophecy. Back at the prison, Neuvillette arrives and takes over the situation as Wriothesley and Clorinde retreat to safety. The gate fails and the Primordial Sea bursts past him, but he uses his powers to halt, and then push the water back and reseal the sluice gate, stating that the sentence was too severe for the people of Fontaine. Back at the party, Arlecchino drops the pleasantries and confronts Furina over the prophecy, accusing her of not protecting her people. Furina claims to have a primary and backup plan, though when Arlecchino questions her over it, claims both to be confidential. Arlecchino then asks about the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale, as she wonders what the large amount of Indemnitium was going to be used for. She then notes that Neuvillette was not present and they change to less serious topics at hand before concluding the tea party, but asks the Traveler to see her off. As they leave the opera house, Arlecchino thanks the Traveler for watching over her "children", confident in the siblings' judgement and abilities in the prison before asking what they thought of Furina. When the Traveler is not able to come up with their perspective on her, she decides to share her own. Learning of Childe's apprehension, she decided to meet the Archon in person, knowing that he had given her an opportunity to do so. One night, she discovered Furina trying to play with a cat and attempted to take the Gnosis, but discovered that she did not hold it before sensing a "curse" on her. Furina, believing that someone was trying to assassinate her, begged for mercy. Noting the genuine fear in her eyes and with no Gnosis, Arlecchino left. Her subordinates then confirmed that Furina was severely shaken by the "assassination" attempt, unable to sleep or even eat her cake. She then entertains the thought that Neuvillette might be the Hydro Archon and/or knew where the Gnosis was. With Childe having gone missing from the fortress soon after, Arlecchino realized that she could diplomatically pressure Furina and Neuvillette for a meeting. Paimon is surprised that she would blatantly attack the Hydro Archon, though she reminds her that no one would believe the claim, as Furina herself seems to have not dared to tell anyone. She then tells them that she believes that Neuvillette is not the Hydro Archon either, as their behavior was not fitting of one given her time with the Tsaritsa. Neuvillette then arrives, prompting Arlecchino to take her leave, though she tells the Traveler that she would be happy to cooperate with them if needed. The Traveler then asks Neuvillette about what he did. He then remarks about mourning the recent turn of events, causing the area to begin raining. The Traveler then recalls what Freminet told them about the Dragon of Water before realizing that Neuvillette is actually the Hydro Sovereign. When he indirectly confirms it, he spots Furina stealing a quick glance at the Traveler before running off, distracting him before Paimon gets his attention before confirming that he's the Hydro Sovereign, though asking them to keep it a secret. He then tells them about the dragons' past; when the First Usurper arrived on Teyvat, they took part of the Seven Sovereigns' power to create the Archons' Authorities. Paimon asks if he could stop the prophecy, of which he states that he would not be able to do much unless the Hydro Archon gave his Authority back to him, and thus should look towards other solutions.

   A Moment's Respite Returning to the fortress once more, the Traveler and Paimon talk to everyone they met, learning that the prison was faring fine after Neuvillette pushed the water back. With their mission for Neuvillette completed, Wriothesley allows them to leave the fortress at any time they wish, free use of their cell until their official sentence is finished, and even their free daily meal until then. He asks that they return to fill out the required forms when the 45 days are up. Upon returning to their cell, the Traveler and Paimon remark about their adventures and go to sleep. Meanwhile, at the Primordial Sea, Childe can be seen drifting through its depths when he regains consciousness. He becomes shocked to find a massive narwhal swimming right above him.

   "Masquerade of The Guilty": Deluge of Wrathful Waters At the Fortress of Meropide, the Traveler and Paimon wake up well-rested in their cell. Recalling that their 45 day "sentence" is over, they head out to sign the release papers with Monglane. During the process, the prison shakes, surprising everyone, so the Traveler decides to talk to Wriothesley to see if he knew anything about it. Wriothesley reminds them that the seal that Neuvillette had placed earlier would not fail, and if it did, the inmates would be in a panic; rather, the tremor came from the surface. After seeing the two off, they head to the Palais Mermonia to speak to Neuvillette. When they arrive, the place is buzzing with activity; Sedene spots them, but as they're welcomed guests, lets them enter Neuvillette's office. Inside, they speak to Neuvillette once he finishes his work, informing him of the narwhal-like entity they saw from Childe's Vision. He also wonders as to how he ended up in the Primordial Sea, since people aren't normally able to enter it. They then ask him about the tremor, which he confirms happened in Poisson; after the tremor, the water levels rose quickly before they receded. However, he suspects that the water might have been related to the Primordial Sea and thus first stays behind to form disaster prevention plans, asking the two to go ahead of him. The two arrive at Poisson where they find the city devoid of normal activity as Spina di Rosulamembers rush to aid the wounded. They eventually find Navia, who tells them that after the tremor, water began rushing out, soon revealed to be Primordial Water and dissolved everyone on the lower levels and causing panic to everyone else. The Traveler then realizes that the ever-present Melus and Silver are missing and asks about them, but before she could answer, another member requires her attention. Once the situation is sorted out, she asks them to accompany her to her father's grave. There, she breaks down, revealing that when she initiated the rescue plan, the two went to save people, but were caught in the waters and dissolved. She laments that she could not even hold a proper funeral for them, as they had previously requested that she bury them by Callas' side when their time came. Navia then hands them a list of the victims, which she considered fortunate for the costs. The two reassure her that she shouldn't see it that way and Paimon tells her to think of Melus and Silver as heroes, which she appreciates. Arlecchino then walks up to discuss the arrangements she made with her. As they were in the area, she had the Fatui lend them a hand in the relief efforts. Navia apologizes for testing Arlecchino, since she wanted to know who she was working with at the time, while also revealing that Arlecchino had set her subordinates to plenty of work with supplies, water levels and headcounts. Arlecchino gives her condolences for Melus' and Silver's demise, but before she leaves, asks the Traveler for assistance. She reveals that the House of the Hearth had learned that a child stumbled upon some ancient ruins near Poisson; as such, she had sent her subordinates for ruin exploration, but with the disaster on hand, had redirected them to assist in relief efforts. The Traveler accepts the task and Navia decides to tag along to keep her mind off her friends' deaths.

   Meeting Is Also Parting Arriving at the ruins, they quickly discover the area is flooded with Primordial Seawater. Paimon initially suggests that Navia head back, but upon realizing there isn't a path back, she decides to continue forward with them and they take care to avoid the Seawater for her sake. As they walk across a bridge, it suddenly gives way. Navia slips and the Traveler turns back but fails to catch her as she plummets into the deadly water. Navia then wakes up in Poisson with Melus and Silver, but unable to remember what just happened, realizes something is off. The two then escort the confused Navia to the Opera Epiclese where she is put on trial. The prosecutor, Joinville, declares her guilty and the audience demands she "join" them, but Melus and Silver realize something is off and, as if waking up from a dream, strongly urge Navia to not admit guilt as the trial is meant to keep her there forever. They take up her defense and refute the others that Navia must join them, accusing the others of being jealous that she still has the chance of living as her own person, and not be one part of the whole. Navia then realizes that everyone present were victims of the disaster, but before the audience could take her, Neuvillette appears and dismisses them. Melus and Silver say their final goodbyes to Navia as Neuvillette brings her back to reality, where she relates her dream. Neuvillette explains that he had just arrived in the ruins only to witness Navia fall into the Primordial Seawater, but he believes he saw her being protected by two Oceanids, which gave him the critical seconds he needed to rescue her. Navia contends with a fresh wave of emotion that the two would continue protecting her one last time even after death, while Neuvillette pulls the Traveler and Paimon aside as to give her some space. He had arrived at Poisson only to be surprised to see the Fatui helping out and ran into Arlecchino, who told him where the group had gone. The four then continue exploring the ruins until they discover several stone slates on the wall, though the first one appears to be missing. Paimon reads the text, surprising her as it relates to the prophecy about Fontaine's destruction. Looking at the second slate, they find several people kneeling while facing an island in the sky. The third image shows Furina in the water, surrounded by people in the water, while the fourth image aligns with the prophecy of her alone, weeping on her throne. They then realize something is off with the order of the images and deduce that the significant person in the second image is Egeria, the previous Hydro Archon, who appears to be kneeling as if forgiveness for a sin. With no further leads to go on however, they leave the ruins. Navia leaves to check on her organization while Neuvillette goes to confront Furina about the prophecy. Navia has the Traveler and Paimon rest at their headquarters in Fleuve Cendre.

   Hunters, Prophets When the two arrive, the Traveler and Paimon are treated to a large meal by Tetreaux before Monaspots them. Mona had come to Fontaine for some business and reveals her master's name, Astromancer Barbeloth Trismegistus. She assures that she is not a Fontainian, having been born in Mondstadt. The two ask her about the prophecy, and it turns out that The Steambird invited her to join a panel about it. She expresses her inability to comment on the prophecy's "world-changing" claims, but states that the Hexenzirkel members could discern it. The Traveler asks her to get in touch with her master for more information. Though surprised, she agrees. The next day, the Traveler and Paimon head to Neuvillette's office to see if he gained any useful information from Furina. Upon arriving, Sedene informs them that the two are having an argument. Neuvillette asks Furina to stop dodging the question and he hands her a list of victims from the Poisson incident. Neither of them want it to happen again, so he pushes her to yield information about the missing stone slate and the prophecy from Egeria. Furina states that she and Egeria are two different people and thus she is not privy to her predecessor's secrets. She asserts that she has a plan in motion and orders Neuvillette not to speak of the incident again as she darts from his office, failing to notice the Traveler at the door. The Traveler then enters and Neuvillette explains that the only way to get the truth out of Furina will be to put her on trial. Even though he doesn't want to do this, he has no choice given the circumstances. The Traveler contacts Navia, Lyney, Lynette, Freminet, and Clorinde to meet up in Poisson with Neuvillette. There they discuss a plan to trap Furina and force her to reveal her secrets and deal with the prophecy. When the Traveler and Paimon return to Fleuve Cendre, they talk about their plan before someone sets a cup of tea down and joins them, though the person is nowhere to be seen. The Traveler quickly realizes that it must be Mage "N" who tells them that even the gods' gaze has blind spots. The Traveler thinks about her words before going to sleep. When they wake up again, they find Mona, who had talked to Charlotte about the prophecy. They also tell Mona about N's visit, and she remarks that the situation must truly be dire for N to talk to them in person. Paimon decides to take a walk around the city, where they stop at Hotel Debord to get a quick bite to eat. Paimon notices the cake that was served in the tea party with Arlecchino and Furina and goes to order one, but Sedene suddenly appears and orders one too. Paimon asks her what she would do if the place disappears beneath the flood, and she answers that she would continue her routine regardless. Seeing that they're sad, Sedene buys two more slices of cake for them to lift their spirits. Then they go to the Steambird and meet up with Charlotte. Paimon also asks her what she would do if Fontaine were flooded. Charlotte states that she would still continue her work. While she could leave, she would be duty-bound to stay as a journalist and not forsake her homeland. After walking around the city, Paimon and the Traveler stand beside the sea and she asks the Traveler the same question. The Traveler responds that they would continue journeying in Teyvat. The Traveler and Paimon spend the next few days in Fleuve Cendre before Isadora arrives, telling them that there was a small-scale riot in the Opera Epiclese. During a show, some people accused Furina of ignoring the "prophecy crisis". Then, others began joining in, causing her to flee while the Marechaussee Phantom dealt with the situation. However, now that it was resolved, Furina was nowhere to be found. Knowing Furina, the two head to Poisson to look for her.

   Apocalypse In Poisson, the Traveler and Paimon find Furina lamenting the victims of the recent disaster. When approached, she pretends she's fine before several people appear and chase her. The three manage evade their pressures before entering a house, where Furina begins to unravel and admit that she had been investigating the prophecy, but to seemingly no avail. The Traveler manages to convince her to open up to them as a "witness", since they are a spectator, not from Teyvat. But, before she could say anything, the house quickly collapses and reveals itself to be an elaborate opening act by Lyney on the stage of the opera house, to begin her trial. Furina finds the idea of being tried absurd, but Neuvillette takes this as a refusal. Since the other option is a duel with Clorinde, Furina refuses the duel by raising both hands up, surprising the audience. Furina then clarifies that she is not completely surrendering, rather she is agreeing to the trial. The Traveler then prosecutes Furina, hoping to get the truth if they best her in court. Before they start, Furina asks how much time was spent to force her on the stage and learns of the plan to trap her. Navia's subordinates lured her both at the opera and at Poisson, while the Fatui built a "Giant Magic Box" to replicate Lyney's original trick and tunneled all the way to the opera house, where Clorinde was ready to duel Furina should she refuse trial. Furina then assumes that the Traveler was only intending to prosecute her, but they tell her that they wanted to give her one last chance to admit everything while alone in the box. As the stage was already set, Furina states that the only action left for her is to begin the trial. The Traveler presses the charge of Furina being a fraud, surprising everyone due to the blatancy of the accusation. Despite this, they manage to convince the audience through supporting information compiled by Charlotte's interview, culminating with Navia providing a sample of Primordial Seawater for her to touch. Furina is initially hesitant to touch the water, but does so to maintain her innocence. Luckily, the conspirators had considered the small chance of this happening, and had heavily diluted it to a non-lethal level. Neuvillette then calls Sigewinne in for a check-up, who reveals that she shows the same symptoms as other Fontainians exposed to impure Primordial Seawater. The audience is fully convinced, and Nevuillette conclu

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