Genshin Impact: Transcended Tempest

Requiem of the Echoing Depths Part 2: Vepar's Rage and Escape the Chasm

Back with Kunimitsu and his group, 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.

Paimon: "Did he just tell them to back off?"

Mydei: "Hmph...so it is him."

Kunimitsu: "Halfdan!"

The Black Serpent Knight stares at them.

Paimon: "Wait, you know him?"

Dainsleif: "Could it be...if it's as I suspect, then this is a truly tragic state of affairs."

Mydei: "Hmm..."

Nia: "So that knight...you three recognize him, don't you?"

Dainsleif: "Yes. You want to know why they were gathered here guarding the hilichurls, don't you? It's because, as far as the Black Serpent Knights are concerned, they are simply doing their duty. The one who ordered them to retreat just now...I suddenly recognize him. Vepar, I, and Prince Mydeimos knew him as a young man, an elite in the Royal Guard of old; his name was Halfdan."

Paimon: "So, he's from 500 years ago, too..."

Tingyun: "Did the Abyss...?"

Mydei: "Hm...you can say that."

Kunimitsu: "I remember back then, Dain and I giving the final orders as a god who cared for Khaenri'ah's survival and Dain, as the Twilight Sword, on the day of disaster before I returned to Inazuma, and him running back to the palace..."

Dainsleif: "Indeed. 'Inform all Black Serpent Knights to protect the people of Khaenri'ah at all costs.' Because we, of course, were royal guards. But this would mean nothing in the events that followed...royals, gentry, common folk, these identities made no difference. Against the might of the Gods, the only identity that mattered was being from Khaenri'ah."

Kunimitsu looks down, upset when he remembers the time he was in Khaenri'ah during the disaster and witnessed Ronova's spell take hold of the Khaenri'ah.

Kunimitsu: "..."

Mydei: "These Black Serpent Knights have lost their intellect, but perhaps, in whatever remains of their minds, they are still protecting our people. Take the hilichurls as Khaenri'ahn people not transformed yet and crying for help, and if you see these ruins as Khaenri'ah in the throes of disaster. Then suddenly, I can make sense of what I'm hearing. Their growls are less of a threat and more of a warning."

Tingyun: "So what are they saying?"

Kunimitsu: "It's almost unclear...but the language they were speaking was old Khaenri'ahn words...standing for 'run.' "

Lumine: "So that means...they were telling the hilichurls to run."

Mydei: "Even to this day, they are still following orders. I commend them even if they have been eroded for 500 years. Let's keep going. Halfdan would have no reason to stop us or the other Knights from ambushing us."

No longer impeded by the Black Serpent Knights, the group climbs to the summit and finds a water pool, a device of the ancient civilization, and the source of the area's ability to weaken the curse. While they were confused by the sight, Kunimitsu and Dainsleif explained that it could be an ancient relic of this lost civilization and that it had a sort of cleansing effect on those cursed, being the source of the weakening curse effect. Before they can investigate the strange devices located around it, Halfdan then arrives and urges them to follow him.