Genshin Impact’s Luna II Update Continues the Nod-Krai Storyline with Song of the Welkin Moon Archon Quests: Act III Recap
Genshin Impact’s latest version, Luna II, advances the Nod-Krai storyline in the Song of the Welkin Moon Archon Quests with Acts III and IV titled “A Nation That Doesn’t Exist” and “An Elegy for Faded Moonlight,” respectively. This segment focuses on confronting Rerir, one of the Five Sinners of Khaenri’ah introduced earlier in the narrative. Here’s a detailed recap of Act III and the major events unfolding in the journey.
Setting Off: The Threat of Rerir Grows
The act opens with the Traveler and Paimon resuming their adventure in Nasha Town after a brief respite. They are soon approached by Radimir, a Lightkeeper (Ratniki), who brings urgent news from Flins about a significant Wild Hunt assault at the nearby quarry. Prompted by this, they head straight for the quarry to assess the situation.
At the quarry, the group—comprising Flins, Lauma, Jahoda, Aino, Ineffa, and the Traveler—learns that Rerir remains at large. He has been absorbing large quantities of Kuuvahki, the moon’s energy in Genshin Impact, to bolster his strength. This continuous draining of Kuuvahki is sapping the life energy from Nod-Krai’s lands. Although Rerir had gathered substantial Kuuvahki in prior events, the group ponders why he persists in this quest for power and how he might be stopped.
Deciding on a proactive approach, the team splits up to investigate other Kuuvahki-rich locations such as the Eye of Kratti and Pillar of Embla, anticipating Rerir’s possible appearances. The Traveler takes the initiative to visit Hiisi Island seeking updates, but their efforts are interrupted when Rerir suddenly arrives, chasing Columbina. Despite a valiant battle, Rerir’s strength proves overwhelming, forcing Columbina to draw upon the Eternal Moon’s power within the Traveler to teleport the group to safety.
Columbina’s Declining Power and Stark Realities
After the encounter, the Traveler questions Columbina regarding Rerir’s fixation on her. Columbina confessing her uncertainty, warns that even at just 10% of his original power, Rerir is capable of annihilating them all instantly.
When Lauma inquires about Columbina’s steadily diminishing power, she reveals a deeper truth: the world of Teyvat itself has been rejecting her existence since birth. Unlike the other moons—Eternal, Iridescent, and Frost—which belong to an ancient era, Columbina is linked to the Frost Moon, a connection that causes the world to resist her presence. Still, she manages to replenish partial strength by drawing energy from the marrow of other moons, such as the Eternal Moon housed within the Traveler.
Before more can be discussed, another Wild Hunt attack led by Rerir forces the group back into combat.
Varka’s Rescue and the Search for the Iridescent Moon’s Marrow
Just as the group faces overwhelming odds, Varka, the Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius, arrives to rescue them. He leads them to a secret Knights’ stronghold in Nod-Krai and explains that a prior encounter at Amsvartnir Lake was a calculated diversion to mislead Rerir while he attempted to revive himself.
Varka expresses skepticism that Rerir could have fully revived unaided after dormant for 500 years. Recognizing that raw power alone will not succeed, Columbina suggests seeking the Iridescent Moon’s marrow as a new source of power. She reminds the group of the moon goddesses’ past ability to shape the laws of the world, a divine lineage she still partially taps into via her Frost Moon connection.
Nefer arrives at the stronghold and is enlisted by Varka to investigate Rerir’s history, borrowing Rerir’s fragment for her inquiry. While Nefer, Lauma, and Jahoda set off on this mission, the Traveler and Columbina head to the Experimental Design Bureau to meet Sandrone.
Sandrone’s reaction is cold, but she begrudgingly agrees to contact Arlecchino as Columbina requests. Their meeting is cut short by a sudden Wild Hunt attack featuring Rerir. Sandrone helps the pair escape through a hidden passage by stalling Rerir but remains behind as they flee.
Exploring Rerir’s Past in Khaenri’ah
Meanwhile, at the Curatorium of Secrets, Nefer uses a Kuuvahki-charged device gifted by Alice—founder of the Hexenzirkel—to access Rerir’s memories through a chess box inherited from the Ibis King. This device reveals deep and true intel, essential for her investigative methods.
Nefer learns that Rerir was once known as the “Rächer of Solnari,” an executioner under King Irmin tasked with eliminating the Crimson Moon bloodline during Khaenri’ah’s Eclipse Dynasty purge. His journals reveal a conflicted man torn between love—he cherished a woman named Tholindis—and guilt over his brutal actions against the victims he listed, including children.
Tholindis herself was a researcher at Universitas Magistrorum studying the Crimson Moon lineage, unaware of Rerir’s true role. A haunting memory shows her confronted by a boy claiming descent from the Crimson Moon, who exposes Rerir’s secret. Notably, this memory belongs to Tholindis, not Rerir, raising questions about its presence within Rerir’s fragment.
Reunion and Revelations at the Base
As Columbina and the Traveler return from the bureau, Arlecchino intervenes, saving them from the Wild Hunt. She reveals herself not as a Fatui agent but as a friend, familiar with the Crimson Moon lineage and eager to assist in locating the Iridescent Moon’s marrow to restore Columbina’s power.
Jahoda and Lauma update the group on Nefer’s findings: Rerir had served as Khaenri’ah’s executioner during the Crimson Moon purge. Columbina elaborates that Khaenri’ah once drew strength from the Crimson Moon’s reflection before the Eclipse Dynasty arose, suggesting their interest lay more with Abyssal power than with the moons themselves.
Subsequently, the group splits to carry out their respective missions. Varka remains at the stronghold awaiting reinforcements from Mondstadt. Flins, Aino, and Ineffa reveal a surprising discovery: the Wild Hunt outbreak at Amsvartnir Lake predated Rerir’s revival, indicating another hidden force at work. Varka and Ineffa promptly investigate further.
Unveiling the Crimson Moon’s Secrets
En route to summon the marrow, Arlecchino confides in the Traveler and Columbina that she descends from the Crimson Moon royal line. She exposes that the Crimson Moon was never a true moon but rather the shattered remains of the Iridescent Moon fused with the Abyss. Her unique power—the Two Worlds’ Flames—is a rare black fire combining the Iridescent Moon’s fire with Abyssal energy.
Using this power exacts a physical toll; corruption threatens her identity, so she wields it sparingly. Arlecchino explains that Khaenri’ah’s people did not worship the moons themselves but valued their connection to the Abyss above all.
Columbina entrusts Arlecchino with the Iridescent Moon marrow to protect it from Rerir and to enhance her own strength. After a ritual, a passage opens leading them to the Crimson Moon’s location. There, they discover the marrow resides not in the moon itself but in its reflection on the waters below.
After purifying Abyssal corruption, they witness memories of Tholindis researching the same area. She hints that harnessing the power of the three moons is key to halting the chaos and mentions an “outsider” who influenced King Irmin long ago.
Purification and Power Restored
The Traveler and Columbina successfully retrieve the Iridescent Moon marrow. At that moment, the Moon Goddess’s voice reaches Columbina, apologizing for past deception and revealing that survival after the Iridescent Moon’s shattering required merging with the Abyss. The goddess begins to reveal a name starting with “Hypo…” but is abruptly cut off. Columbina suspects the goddess confused her with the original Frost Moon deity.
As they depart, the Crimson Moon site collapses, and Abyssal monsters pursue the group. Arlecchino sacrifices herself by blocking the monsters — her body succumbing to Abyssal corruption due to the curse of the Two Worlds’ Flames. To restore Arlecchino, Columbina transfers the moon marrow to her, rejuvenating her strength and powers.
Columbina regains her abilities, returning to her former prowess as the third-ranked Fatui Harbinger. Nonetheless, she acknowledges that Rerir remains a formidable foe. The Traveler offers additional power to bolster her confidence to soon confront Rerir in battle.
Conclusion of Act III and Lead-In to Act IV
This concludes the recap of Act III of the Song of the Welkin Moon in Genshin Impact, spotlighting Rerir’s escalating threat, the complexities of the moons’ powers, and the deep history threading through Teyvat. The stage is now set for Act IV, promising further revelations and challenges.
