#version 6.1

A man steps forward and introduces himself as Varka, then leads them away to a hidden location where they are able to evade pursuit.

Once safe, the group explains the situation to Varka, who reveals that he and his men were deliberately misdirected to Lake Amsvartnir. Although he doesn't state it openly, he privately doubts that Rerir could have orchestrated attacks in both locations at the same time. Recognizing that confronting Rerir directly would require greater power, Columbina proposes seeking the last Moon Marrow, known as the Iridescent Marrow, explaining that possessing all three Marrows would allow her to recover her strength far more rapidly.

"Three moons once watched over this world: the Eternal Moon was the largest, the Frost Moon was the brightest and the Iridescent Moon was the most mysterious. They say that back then, the three Moon Goddesses wielded immense power. Enough to shape the workings of the world itself. I now bear the Frost Moon's power and the Eternal Moon's marrow resides within the Traveler."

She says that this would require a visit to the Kuuvahki Experimental Design Bureau (she wants to talk to Sandrone) and the Traveler decides to accompany her there.

Nefer arrives shortly after and Varka identifies her as the current head of the Northern Intelligence Network. Despite acknowledging the danger Rerir poses to the region, Nefer refuses to assist without compensation, stating that she doesn't work for free. Lauma offers to pay for her services, though Nefer doubts the offer will be sufficient, prompting Jahoda to ask her to reduce her own pay, leaving Nefer with little choice but to accept.

Nefer then requests the fragments of Rerir from Flins, after which the group divides their efforts once more, with Aino and Ineffa preparing decoys carrying traces of Columbina's presence, Jahoda and Lauma accompanying Nefer and the Traveler setting out with Columbina toward the bureau.

Rerir's Past

Meanwhile, Nefer brings Jahoda and Lauma to her private chamber within the Curatorium of Secrets and asks Jahoda to summon Dori. Dori produces a flower-shaped object from her belongings, only then realizing that Nefer intends to use it. Nefer offers a deal based on the repayment of a future favor, and Dori reluctantly agrees to lend the item for three day before charging for it, after which she leaves to return to sleep.

Nefer then initiates the ceremony and instructs Jahoda and Lauma to follow her guidance closely as the fragments of Rerir draw her into his memories, beginning with glimpses of his daily life in Khaenri'ah. She observes that Rerir lived in a modest dwelling, seemingly shared with Tholindis (his partner) and comes across his personal notes describing a steady decline in grain imports, with the population increasingly reliant on a diet of meat and mushrooms. Rerir expresses distaste for a newly developed laboratory grown mushroom, noting that it was mildly corrosive and that he didn't understand why anyone would choose to eat something like that, dismissing claims of it being an alchemical achievement because that wasn't the kind of food he trusted.

Side note: This detail brought to mind an observation that’s been circulating in the fandom for a while. Kaeya's signature dish aligns with this kind of food and, given his Khaenri'ahn origin, some people have pointed out the parallel with the kind of diet described here.

As Nefer reads these entries, she comments internally on what they reveal, noting that grain had to be imported, that the lack of sunlight underground likely limited agricultural options and that even food production relied on alchemically modified strains, concluding that the people of Khaenri'ah appeared to have very few choices when it came to sustenance.

The memory then shifts to Rerir leaving his home, where he is intercepted by Dainsleif and his older brother Vedrfolnir, known in Khaenri'ah as "The Visionary".

Dainsleif teases Rerir about the "big question" he plans to ask Tholindis, referring to his intention to propose, while Rerir appears visibly anxious about her response. Dainsleif reassures him and jokes that Tholindis will likely be more impressed by his position than by the proposal itself, remarking sarcastically on his supposed role as a member of the King's Guard and questioning whether even the king himself knows it.

Throughout the exchange, Vedrfolnir remains silent and observant, which unsettles Rerir, who privately wonders whether Vedrfolnir views him as Dainsleif's friend or merely as another blade wielded by King Vinster.

Rerir reflects on the intensifying purge of the Crimson Moon bloodline, noting that the king has become consumed by his research, that opposition voices attempted to speak out but were silenced and that those who resisted were eliminated along with their bodies. From these memories, Nefer concludes that Rerir deliberately concealed his true role within the intelligence and execution apparatus, presenting himself to Tholindis as an ordinary member of the royal guard rather than one of the king's chosen enforcers.

Then it's reveal an exchange between Rerir and a Khaenri'ahn man named Thorkell, who speaks reverently of the Eclipse overcoming the Crimson Moon and praises King Vinster as an all seeing ruler guiding the nation toward prosperity, dismissing the Crimson Moon as a dead legacy clung to only by those who romanticize the past. Rerir challenges this view, stating that much of the Crimson Moon era was worthy of remembrance, that many of its secrets remained unresolved and that this was precisely the field of study to which his partner had devoted herself. When Thorkell asks whether Rerir has told her the truth about his occupation, Rerir admits that he doesn't know how to explain that he's one of the king's hand picked executioners with blood on his hands, to which Thorkell responds that orphans like them never had the luxury of choosing a different life.

The ceremony's final vision shifts to a memory belonging to Tholindis, in which a child of the Crimson Moon Dynasty confronts her and reveals that Rerir, known among them as the Racher of Solnari, is a brutal executioner responsible for the deaths of their people, calling it a cruel irony that such a man would be the one to propose to her.

Nefer withdraws from the fragments shortly after, noting her confusion over how Tholindis' memory came to reside within Rerir's fragment and brings the ceremony to an end as the allotted time is exhausted.

Arlecchino and the Iridescent Marrow

As the Traveler and Columbina attempt to escape the Wild Hunt, they're eventually cornered at Thunderclap Reef, where the pursuing ghouls are suddenly burned away as Arlecchino intervenes and rescues them.

At the bureau, Sandrone works to repair her damaged landcruisers when Lyney, Lynette and Freminet arrive to help her.

Back at Thunderclap Reef, Arlecchino comments on how weak Columbina has become and they return to the hidden base together where tension rises as soon as the others recognize who Arlecchino is.

She makes it clear that she isn't acting under official orders, that her involvement is personal and that she is there because of Columbina, before stating that she can help locate the Iridescent Marrow.

Arlecchino later brings the Traveler and Columbina to a peninsula between Silvermoon Hall and Hiisi Island. There, she reveals that she's a descendant of the Crimson Moon Dynasty. She explains that the so called Crimson Moon is, in truth, nothing more than the shattered remnants of the Iridescent Moon, fused with the Abyss in an attempt to prolong its lifespan.

She then tells them that Pierro, "The Jester", was the one who uncovered the truth of her lineage. He gave her a book titled Perinheri, also known as Hleobranto Innamorato, a love story set during the Crimson Moon era. While the novel centers on the tangled romance of its characters, it also preserves several details that shed light on that forgotten period.

Columbina explains why obtaining the Iridescent Marrow is necessary and Arlecchino agrees to assist before opening a portal to its domain and warning them to ignore any voices they may encounter.

Within the domain opened by Arlecchino, the Traveler, Paimon and Columbina advance deeper to retrieve the Iridescent Marrow, activating ancient mechanisms designed to suppress the Abyssal power contained within it, which causes echoes of Tholindis to surface throughout the space. One such echo captures a moment of her working alongside other researchers, where Snorri tells her that the remaining research will be left in her hands as they prepare to return, and Vilwis jokes about whether they are interrupting her date night, prompting Tholindis to dismiss them and ask that they at least leave her some snacks on the table. As the echo lingers, Tholindis reflects aloud that the view reminds her of a poem from her childhood, reciting,

«Waning moon, oh lifeless damsel weeping on the mountain crest. Mourning still, in wistful tone, her fragile soul now laid to rest»

... before questioning whether it is mere coincidence or something more that she, of all people, is now investigating the mysteries of the Crimson Moon's space.

Deeper within the domain, another echo of Tholindis appears as she reaches a new understanding of her research:

"I see… So the Moon Marrow, or rather the power of the three moons, is the key to unlocking ■■■■." "If ■■■■ really does exist, then maybe this madness can finally be put to an end…"

Her words cutting off as the memory fades. The final echo shows her preparing to move forward after placing Abyss inhibitors, saying that she should now be able to access the chamber containing the Moon Marrow, before turning her thoughts to Rerir and lamenting that with every step he takes, he's drifting further from what he truly desires, though she doesn't see him as the root of the problem.

She blames the moment an outsider first set foot in Khaenri'ah, stating that since then the Vinster King has sunk deeper into madness and wishing that she could get her hands on that outsider.

Upon entering the chamber and purifying the Moon Marrow of its Abyssal power, Columbina, the Traveler and Paimon hear a voice resonate within the Iridescent Marrow saying:

"So cold… Is it you? Are you here? At long last… I can see you once more. Our fates have crossed… and I am finally free. I'm sorry… I lied to you. Even knowing what was to come, I still couldn't let go of the fear in my heart as death drew near. The moment the moon shattered, my body began to split apart piece by piece… like I was being cut into pieces by a thousand blunt blades. My thoughts scattered as the cold crept in… but I couldn't bear to fade away like that… Tell me, what was it that brought you to us, all that time ago? If only I had possessed your courage… then I might have been spared this torment more painful than death… You look so puzzled… Heh, that's how I felt too… when I first saw you… But trust me when I say… that everything happens for a reason. Farewell, Hypo…"

Once the Abyssal power is removed from the marrow and the voice is heard, the remaining dark will emerges, triggering an Abyssal counterattack. Riftwolves appear and the domain is sealed. Arlecchino forces the exit open herself, resisting the Abyss head on.

The corruption spreads across her hands and although the Traveler offers to purify it, she refuses, having accepted the cost from the beginning.

The Traveler helps channel the power into Columbina, allowing her to take in the Iridescent Marrow. Arlecchino notes that she's grown stronger.

Columbina says she hopes Arlecchino won't end up consumed by the Abyss like Rerir did but Arlecchino replies that she expects it will happen eventually.

Before leaving it at that, she suggests Columbina might want to change her name once Rerir is dealt with.

At the end, Arlecchino tells Columbina, the Traveler and Paimon that she'll make sure they're safe first and then take them to reunite with Sandrone.