Genshin Impact Luna II Archon Quest Act III "A Nation That Doesn't Exist" recap

Genshin Impact’s latest version Luna II, continues the Nod-Krai storyline Song of the Welkin Moon Archon Quests with Act III, "A Nation That Doesn't Exist," and Act IV, "An Elegy for Faded Moonlight." This time, the story focuses on defeating Rerir, one of the Five Sinners of Khaenri'ah that we encountered in the previous acts.

This article recaps the key events of Act III, where it opens with the Traveler and Paimon resuming their journey in Nasha Town after a short rest. There, they’re approached by Radimir, one of the Lightkeepers (Ratniki), who delivers a message from Flins about a major Wild Hunt attack at the quarry outside Nasha Town. After hearing this, they decide to go to the quarry.

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Recap of Song of the Welkin Moon: Act III "A Nation That Doesn't Exist" in Genshin Impact

Rerir's traces at the quarry otuside Nasha Town in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)

Rerir's growing threat

Upon meeting with Flins, Lauma, Jahoda, Aino, and Ineffa at the quarry, the Traveler learnt that Rerir is still at large. He has been absorbing vast amounts of Kuuvahki (Moon's energy in Genshin Impact) to grow stronger, which in turn is draining the life energy of Nod-Krai's land. Rerir had already accumulated enough Kuuvahki before in the previous acts, so the group wondered why he continues doing so and what can be done to stop him.

The team decided to take action first and split up to survey areas rich in Kuuvahki, such as the Eye of Kratti and Pillar of Embla, in case Rerir showed up there. After a while, the Traveler decided to go to Hiisi Island for an update on the situation. However, everyone was forced to regroup when Rerir flew in that very instant, chasing Columbina.

Despite everyone’s efforts in battle, Rerir’s strength was far beyond what they could handle. In a final desperate move, Columbina drew upon the Eternal Moon’s power within the Traveler and teleported the group to safety just in time.

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Columbina’s waning power

Columbina explains her fading strength in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)

Recovering from the encounter, the Traveler questioned Columbina about Rerir’s obsession with her. She admitted she didn’t know and continued to warn them that even with just 10% of his original power, he was still strong enough to wipe them all out in an instant.

When asked by Lauma why her power had been constantly waning for a long time now, she responded that the world (Teyvat) itself had been rejecting her existence ever since she was born. The three moons in Genshin Impact: Eternal, Iridescent, and Frost are all from a bygone era, so the world wouldn't accept her because of her connection or reincarnation of the Frost Moon.

Even so, she can still recover bits of her strength by drawing power from other moons’ marrow, such as the Eternal Moon carried by the Traveler. Before she could finish, Rerir and the Wild Hunt started attacking them again, which forced everyone to fight again.

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Varka’s intervention and the search for Iridescent Moon's marrow

A visual map of Varka's plan and Nefer's involvement in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)

As Rerir’s forces closed in, Varka (Grandmaster of Knights of Favonius) arrived just in time to rescue the group. He escorted them to a hidden stronghold of the Knights in Nod-Krai. There, Varka explained that his earlier chase with the Knights at Amsvartnir Lake was only a diversion as Rerir likely misled them to revive himself fully.

After being briefed on the recent events by the others, Varka expressed doubt that Rerir could not have revived on his own after 500 years of dormancy. Realizing that brute strength won’t be enough, Columbina suggested searching for a new source of power, which is the Iridescent Moon’s marrow.

She reminded the group that the moon goddesses once held the ability to shape the very workings of the world in Genshin Impact. Her connection to the Frost Moon can still tap into that divine lineage and use the powers of the other two moons.

Nefer arrived at the base, and Varka involved her in the plan by asking her to find out intel on Rerir’s past. Nefer agreed after much persuasion and borrowed Rerir's fragment from Flins. While she went out to investigate with Lauma and Jahoda, the Traveler and Columbina headed to the Experimental Design Bureau to meet Sandrone in Genshin Impact.

Sandrone receives Columbina and the Traveler reluctantly (Image via HoYoverse)

Sandrone was not happy to see them but reluctantly agreed to contact Arlecchino as per Columbina's request. Before they could continue, the Wild Hunt, along with Rerir, attacked the place. Sandrone urged Columbina and the Traveler to escape through a hidden passage while she stayed behind to stall him. He arrived moments later but left once he realized Columbina wasn’t there anymore.

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A look into Rerir's past in Khaenri'ah 500 years ago

A look at the pendant given by Alice via Dori and Nefer's chess box in Genshin Impact (Image via HoYoverse)

Meanwhile, at the Curatorium of Secrets, Nefer took a Kuuvahki-charged device from Dori, which in turn was a gift from Alice, founder of the Hexenzirkel in Genshin Impact. After entering a secret room, Nefer revealed a chess box inherited from the Ibis King to access Rerir’s memories. Through this device, she's able to gain any true intel, which became one of her trade secrets.

Rerir's normal life 500 years ago before the Cataclysm in Khaenri'ah (Image via HoYoverse)

Inside, she saw Rerir's life in Khaenri’ah and his love for a woman named Tholindis. His journal entries revealed a man torn between affection and guilt, hiding his true identity as the “Rächer of Solnari,” the executioner tasked with eradicating the Crimson Moon bloodline under King Irmin in Genshin Impact.

His memories grew darker as he recorded the names of his victims, from adults to young children, and tried to justify his role in the Crimson Moon purge. Tholindis, on the other hand, was a researcher at Universitas Magistrorum who also researched the same Crimson Moon bloodline. However, she was not aware of his true nature of work.

Nefer later found a memory where she saw Tholindis being confronted by a boy claiming to be a Crimson Moon descendant with red X-shaped eyes, who exposed Rerir’s secret. Nefer realized the memory belonged to Tholindis, not Rerir, raising questions about why it existed within his fragment.

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Regrouping at the base

Arlecchino clears her stance (Image via HoYoverse)

Back in the present, Arlecchino saved Columbina and the Traveler from Wild Hunt monsters as they were returning from the Experimental Design Bureau. All three of them went to the base, where Arlecchino introduced herself as a friend rather than a Fatui agent to avoid hostility. She also revealed her knowledge of the Crimson Moon lineage and offered to help locate the Iridescent Moon’s marrow to restore Columbina’s power.

Jahoda and Lauma informed the group about Nefer's findings on Rerir that he once served as Khaenri’ah’s executioner, carrying out the Eclipse Dynasty’s purge of Crimson Moon descendants. Columbina explained to justify how Khaenri’ah once drew strength from the Crimson Moon’s reflection before the coup that birthed the Eclipse Dynasty. It was likely that Khaenri'ahns were after the power of the Abyss and not the moon in Genshin Impact.

Finally, the group dispersed with their own tasks to do, while Varka stayed behind to receive reinforcements that he had asked for from Mondstadt. A few moments later, Flins, Aino, and Ineffa came to Varka and revealed that the Wild Hunt outbreak at Amsvartnir Lake couldn’t have been Rerir’s doing, as it began before his revival. This discovery suggested that another force was moving behind the scenes, prompting Varka and Ineffa to return to the lake for answers.

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Uncovering the secrets of the Crimson Moon in Genshin Impact

Arlecchino summons the path to the Crimson (Iridescent) Moon's marrow (Image via HoYoverse)

While on the way to a distant location for summoning the marrow, Arlecchino revealed to the Traveler and Columbina that she is a royal descendant of the Crimson Moon dynasty. She exposed the truth that the Crimson Moon was never a true moon, but the shattered remains of the Iridescent Moon fused with the Abyss.

Her unique black flame, called the Two Worlds’ Flames, is the combination of the Iridescent Moon’s fire and the Abyss. Using it takes a toll on her body, and if the corruption ever reaches her heart, she risks losing her sense of self entirely. That's why she rarely uses her power unless needed.

Arlecchino further explained that Khaenri’ahns never truly revered the moons themselves but rather valued the link to the Abyss they provided in Genshin Impact. Columbina requested Arlecchino to bear the Iridescent moon marrow to keep it safe from Rerir while also boosting her own strength, to which Arlecchino agreed. She then performed a ritual that opened the path leading to the Crimson Moon’s location.

Upon arriving at the place, they discovered that the Iridescent Moon’s marrow lied not in the moon itself but in its reflection below in the waters. After cleansing Abyssal corruption, the group witnessed memories of Tholindis investigating the same space. Tholindis hinted that the power of the three moons is key to stopping the ongoing chaos and commented on the "outsider" who had influenced King Irmin back then.

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Purifying the Iridescent Moon marrow

Purified Iridescent Moon marrow in Genshin Impact(Image via HoYoverse)

The Traveler and Columbina recovered the Iridescent Moon’s marrow, and a voice of the Moon Goddess spoke to Columbina. She started apologizing for her deception as she explained that when the Iridescent Moon was shattered, survival required merging with the Abyss.

Just as she began to reveal a name, "Hypo..", her message was cut off. Columbina believed that the goddess mistook her for the original Frost Moon goddess in that final moment. As they left, the Crimson Moon began collapsing, and Abyssal monsters stared chasing the group.

Arlecchino blocks the path of the Abyssal monsters (Image via HoYoverse)

Arlecchino blocked their path, allowing the Traveler and Columbina to escape. However, this effort corroded her hand with the Abyss due to the Two Worlds’ Flames curse, leaving her drained. Columbina instead transferred the moon marrow to her, which restored her strength.

With the Iridescent Moon’s power, Columbina regained her abilities to the level she once had as the third-ranked Fatui Harbinger in Genshin Impact. Still, she acknowledged that Rerir remained a formidable threat. The Traveler lent additional power at the same time, giving Columbina the confidence to face Rerir and hold him off in battle, which was soon to come.

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This concludes the recap of Act III of Song of the Welkin Moon in Genshin Impact, highlighting Rerir’s rising threat and the mysteries of Teyvat’s three moons. The act closes with the stage set for Act IV.