The Solution of Fate
Last updated 2026-07-12
The Solution of Fate is the ninth part of Durin's Story Quest, Draco Rubedo Chapter: Act I - The Magic Known as Storytelling.
Steps
- Head to Dragonspine with everyone
- Enter the world within the book
- Decide what to do next
- Search for hidden possibilities
- Make a decision quickly
- Break through the boundary of the tale
- Reclaim your true self
- Defeat "Fate"
- Wave 1:
- Wave 2:
- Return the book to Alice
Gameplay Notes
- During steps 3-4, the active party is limited to a trial Durin and the Traveler.
- During steps 5-7, the active party is limited to a trial Durin.
Trial Character
| WL | Character & Weapon |
Talents & Artifacts | Attributes |
|---|---|---|---|
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2 |
  Lv. 37 C2 Durin Lv. 37 R1 Athame Artis |
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 Max HP: 8,402 ATK: 714 DEF: 314 Elemental Mastery: 13 Crit Rate: 45.9% Crit DMG: 66.8% Energy Recharge: 103.5% |
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3 |
Lv. 47 C3 Durin Lv. 47 R1 Athame Artis |
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Max HP: 13,551 ATK: 1,059 DEF: 408 Elemental Mastery: 17 Crit Rate: 57.0% Crit DMG: 82.0% Energy Recharge: 104.7% |
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8 |
Lv. 90 C3 Durin Lv. 90 R1 Athame Artis |
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Max HP: 20,626 ATK: 2,168 DEF: 972 Elemental Mastery: 105 Crit Rate: 66.1% Crit DMG: 199.5% Energy Recharge: 140.8% DMG Bonus: 46.6% |
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9 |
Lv. 90 C3 Durin Lv. 90 R3 Athame Artis |
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Max HP: 20,626 ATK: 2,168 DEF: 972 Elemental Mastery: 105 Crit Rate: 66.1% Crit DMG: 199.5% Energy Recharge: 140.8% DMG Bonus: 46.6% |
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Dialogue
Quest DescriptionFollowing the clues from the previous chapter, you head to Dragonspine to find Albedo. It seems the mysteries around Durin are about to be revealed, but the trials prepared by "fate" are waiting for you as well...
- (On obtaining quest)
- Paimon: Hey, a letter from the Knights of Favonius! Sounds like Albedo's back, and he's waiting for us on Dragonspine!
- Paimon: No time to waste! Let's get going!
- (Approach the teleport waypoint in Dragonspine)
- (Wanderer): So this is the other Durin, huh?
- (Wanderer): If this had been the dragon that ended up being revived in Mondstadt, there's no telling what kind of calamity the people would have had to endure.
- (Wanderer): So, if you think about it like that, Durin's actually a hero.
And, you just thought you'd be nice all of a sudden?- (Wanderer): No, I'm just a little envious, that's all. Not everyone gets a chance to be a hero.
- Durin: Actually, most of the credit belongs to Albedo...
- (Wanderer): Then again, barely anyone even remembers you at this point, so I guess there's not much left to envy.
- Paimon: You... Ugh.
- (Albedo approaches the group)
- Albedo: Ah, so you three still remember Durin. Looks like the memory loss hasn't spread to close friends... yet.
- Albedo: I guess that means my memory of you must still be complete as well.
- Durin: Albedo...
- Paimon: You're finally here! Boy, do we have a whole pile of questions for you...
- Albedo: Ah, you're here too.
- (Wanderer): I think I've pieced together some of what happened to him. But what's your take on things?
- Albedo: Master Jean filled me in on what happened, and I've got a few theories, but let's get on the same page first.
- You exchange intel with Albedo, who also checks how Durin is holding up.
- Albedo: Well, physically he's doing fine. His body is holding the Abyssal power at bay, and there's nothing whatsoever to indicate any risk of collapse.
- Paimon: So, from an alchemy point of view, there's nothing wrong with him?
- Albedo: The issue isn't so much that the Abyssal power within him has gotten out of control. It's that the connection between his will and body is fading.
- Albedo: If he ends up losing his conscious will, his body will fall back on its biological instincts — and that's when the Abyssal power within it will take over.
- But if that happens...
- Albedo: This book mentioned a witches' gathering. It seems like quite a few of these "witches" got themselves involved in Durin's case, which brings me to my theory.
- Albedo: Bringing fairytale Durin into this world to replace the Durin on Dragonspine means using one Durin's fate to overwrite the other's.
- Albedo: But, the power of alchemy alone would not be enough to pull off such a feat...
- Albedo: It would have required the combined use of Miss Barbeloth's astrology, my teacher's alchemy, and Aunt Alice's magic.
- Albedo: After learning of Miss Barbeloth's prophecy, Durin and I finally came up with a way to settle the Dragonspine-Durin problem for good.
- Albedo: And I took care of the alchemy side of things, which, looking back on it, seems to have been a part of their plan all along.
- Albedo: So now, there's only one thing missing...
- The "magic," right?
- Albedo: As for the "fate" theory our friend in the hat just mentioned...
- Albedo: I still can't figure out how any kind of magic could possibly influence the fate of Teyvat, but I'm certain that the answer lies within this book.
- Paimon: So the reason Alice had us complete this book... was to make that magic possible?
- (Wanderer): A form of magic powerful enough to rewrite fate itself...
- Albedo: Well, we've no time to lose. I just need to take a look at the book.
- Albedo: The next part of the story most likely relates to me, so the memory that unlocks it must be connected to me too.
- Paimon: Huh?
- Unknown Voice: The giant tree was home to a broken branch, the shape of its splintered arm aligning perfectly with the branch that had burst forth from the castle walls.
- Unknown Voice: Join yourself to that broken bough, for there you may take root at last — and henceforth bask in the sun and rain of the world beyond the castle.
- Unknown Voice: But first, fetch the stickiest clay, and let it bind the scar of the break.
- Albedo: I see...
- First, fetch the stickiest clay, and let it bind the scar of the break.
- Act V — "Solution" Bestowed by the Sage-Witch
- Guided by the breeze, the little dragon arrived at an alchemist's workshop.
- There he was greeted by a clay figure, a child molded by the sage-witch's hands.
- Though gentle in appearance, he had inherited his mother's cold, sharp wisdom.
- And he was determined to avert the calamity the evil dragon would bring — and so was his helper, none other than the little dragon himself.
- Paimon: What is this place?
- ???: It looks like it's modeled after an alchemist's workshop — or rather, a cliched stereotype of one...
- Durin: ...Albedo?
- Albedo: Hold on, why do I look like this?
- (Albedo looks down at his strangely toy-like body)
- Paimon: Ohhh yeah, we forgot to tell you... Basically, the characters in the story are reflections of how Durin sees them.
- (Wanderer): At least you're still human-shaped.
- (The Wanderer patters over in his kitten form)
- Albedo: Since "Cat Guy" has taken on a different appearance too, that must mean the two of us are both "characters" in this story.
- Albedo: But you, Paimon, and Durin haven't changed at all. Hm, you must be special figures in some way...
- (Wanderer): Ugh, I'd like to know more about that too, but seeing as none of them can explain it, let's just concentrate on moving the plot forward.
- Let's take a look around.
- Durin: Hmm...
- (The group approaches a grayscale doorway that leads to a void of floating books)
- Is that... a hidden path?
- Narrator: And just like that, the group stumbled upon a hidden passageway. Intricately crafted, it seemed to lead them towards another exciting chapter of the tale...
- Paimon: C'mon, what are we waiting for? Next chapter, here we c— Ouch!
- Narrator: But this was a chapter that had not yet been written. Ahead of them was a storyless void, and they could go no further.
- Paimon: What? Then what's the point of having a path here?
- Maybe the author had a flash of inspiration...
- ...And then their mind went blank?
- Paimon: Sounds like a pretty bad habit for a writer!
- Albedo: Hm? Over here. I found something.
- Narrator: What the clay figure found was none other than the evil dragon's heart itself. Though the creature had perished long ago, its heart was still there, pulsing away and growing warmer with every beat.
- Narrator: And the clay alchemist knew what it meant — that the evil dragon would return one day, just as the prophecy had foretold.
- Narrator: Yet guided by his mother's wisdom, he foresaw another fate. If only the alchemist could bestow this heart upon the little dragon, he might be reborn in the evil dragon's stead.
- Narrator: Only then would the evil dragon's heart grow still, and the little one inherit its tale.
- Durin: Sounds like this chapter's about Albedo bringing me to life?
- Albedo: If that really was the solution, though, this would have been over the minute I finished the transmutation. So why is Durin still being forgotten?
- (Wanderer): There has to be some other reason.
- There are still places we can check.
- We have time.
- Durin: Yeah, I'd like to explore the area a bit more.
- (Stop moving for a second, optional)
- Narrator: Unless the little dragon kept moving, eventually, he would be forgotten.
- (Try to enter the gray void, optional)
- Narrator: Ahead of them was a storyless void, and they could go no further.
- Cutscene's Travel Log summary:
- The player can choose one of the following paths:
- (Try to enter the golden stairs, if this is the first time "Returning to the Castle", optional)
- Durin: Returning to the castle...
- You seem like you're torn about something?
- Durin: I just never thought crossing over into a new world would create so much trouble. All I wanted was to make some friends.
- Durin: I'm starting to think I kinda miss being in Simulanka...
- (Wanderer): You might look back on it with fondness but, if I were you, I wouldn't miss it.
- Durin: Why?
- (Wanderer): Sometimes, moving on with your life comes at a cost. But, that's better than going nowhere at all.
- Albedo: You don't have to worry, Durin. No matter what problem you face, there will always be a solution.
- Durin: Okay...
- Durin: Sometimes, I wish I could just go back and see it again...
- Narrator: As the little dragon slipped back inside the castle's walls, the clamor of the outside world fell away.
- Narrator: There was no danger here, no problems for the little dragon to resolve.
- Narrator: As soon as his mother finished her story, it was time for the child to drift off into the world of dreams.
- Narrator: And so the story ended — with the little dragon fast asleep in his castle, just like he had never even hatched.
- Durin: What's going on? I feel so weak...
- Paimon: Hey, what's happening? Durin, wake up!
- We've reached an ending...
- Paimon: But, but... this can't be how it ends! Durin promised to bring back everyone's memories... There's no way he'd accept an ending like this!
- (Go to Bad End)
- (Try to enter the golden stairs after getting the "Returning to the Castle" Bad End, optional)
- Paimon: If we go this way, we'll be returning to the castle.
- Durin: Returning to the castle...
- There's nothing challenging for you back there.
- You'll end up stuck in one place.
- Paimon: Yeah! You'll just be hiding from your problems and pretending like none of this ever happened. Is that really what you want, Durin?
- Durin: ...I see.
- Cutscene's Travel Log summary:
- (Interact with the heart, optional)
- Durin: Do you think we could just... destroy it?
- Why would you want to do that?
- Durin: Be it the calamity headed for Mondstadt or my inability to leave behind a story of my own, doesn't it all come down to the fact that this heart never truly died?
- Durin: What if, here in this story, we could finally destroy it?
- (Durin draws his sword)
- Albedo: Hmm... Could Aunt Alice's magic really allow us to do what's theoretically meant to be impossible?
- (Wanderer): Either way, it's an intriguing idea. I'm not opposed to giving it a shot.
- Paimon: Durin...
- Durin: It's just...
- Durin: *sigh*... I'm still afraid, some day, even you guys will end up forgetting me. If there's even the slightest chance it'll prevent that, I'm willing to try anything.
- Durin: But I'm not sure if I can destroy it on my own. Chances are, I'm gonna need your help again.
- Durin: So please, everyone — help me destroy this heart, once and for all!
- Ready when you are.
- The prophecy is destined to come true...
- Narrator: With the help of his friends, the little dragon destroyed the evil dragon's heart, using up every last ounce of his strength.
- Narrator: In his eyes, this would ensure that his story, and his alone, remained in the world beyond the castle's walls.
- Narrator: But the evil dragon's heart was like a great tree with roots digging deep beneath the surface. Cutting off the branches did not kill it. No, it just made it impossible for a new branch to take their place...
- Narrator: The gnarled roots retreated back into the frozen earth, biding their time for a chance to bud again. Cut off from their source, the rootless branches above the surface slowly withered away.
- Narrator: The little dragon's story faded into nothingness — and in the world beyond the castle, only the evil dragon's tale endured.
- Little Dragon: Who... am I?
- Durin: Is this... me?
- Narrator: And so the story ended — with the little dragon fading from sight, leaving nothing but the evil dragon's shadow in his place.
- So, the story's over?
- Paimon: Oh no, but... that means Durin...
- Paimon: What do we do now?
- (Go to Bad End)
- Let's take another look around first.
- (Interact with the heart again after taking another look around, optional)
- Durin: So please, everyone — help me destroy this heart, once and for all!
- Ready when you are.
- (As above)
- Let's take another look around first.
- (After reaching a bad ending by trying to destroy the heart)
- Cutscene's Travel Log summary:
- (Interact with the heart after trying to destroy it, optional)
- (Traveler): (So, we can't destroy the heart, and even if we tried, it would cause Durin to disappear. We have to find another way.)
- Cutscene's Travel Log summary:
- (Talk to Albedo)
- Narrator: The evil dragon's heart continued to beat, as if waiting for the little dragon to accept it as his own.
- Albedo: Looks like we have no choice but to get this done.
- Albedo: Whatever happens next, Durin is going to need all of our help. Is everyone ready?
- We're ready.
- Durin and I need to check out a few other spots.
- (Talk to Albedo again after selecting "Durin and I need to check out a few other spots", optional)
- Albedo: Whatever happens next, Durin is going to need all of our help. Is everyone ready?
- We're ready.
- Durin and I need to check out a few other spots.
- (After reaching a bad ending by trying to fuse with the heart)
- Cutscene's Travel Log summary:
- (Talk to Albedo after running out of ink, optional)
- (Traveler): (We've run out of ink... So much for Albedo's plan. We have to find another way.)
- (If the player reaches bad endings with both the heart and Albedo)
- Paimon: But, but... didn't we already try all the options? Ugh... We'll just have to see if there's something we missed.
- Cutscene's Travel Log summary:
- (Talk to the Little Dragon hiding behind the test tubes)
- Durin: There you are...
- Little Dragon: Oh, hello there!
- Paimon: Hey, it's Mini Durin again! What are you doing holed up in here?
- Little Dragon: I was worried I'd scare everyone off, so I've been hiding out here all this time.
- Just like before.
- Durin: You must be really nervous, huh?
- Little Dragon: I... I guess I am a little nervous... But I'm also excited!
- Little Dragon: I'm gonna get to stop the evil dragon, and even become a "human"! It's all thanks to that clay man... He's the one who talked me into it!
- Little Dragon: And once I'm a human, I'll be able to make loads of friends and do tons of important things!
- Durin: You'll make lots of friends, that's for sure, and go on many unforgettable adventures...
- Little Dragon: I'm so glad to hear it! The only thing is, the clay man said becoming human isn't gonna be easy, so I'm feeling a little anxious too...
- Durin: ...He's right about that. Even if you manage to become a human, there will always be tougher challenges on the road ahead.
- Little Dragon: R—Really?
- Durin: But even so, your friends will be there to help you.
- Little Dragon: Oh? Then I'm not afraid!
- Durin: Funny, isn't it? After talking to you, I'm not afraid anymore either.
- Durin: So, are you ready now?
- Little Dragon: Yep! I'm ready to become a human!
- (Proceed to Part 2 regardless of whether there is ink remaining.)
- Part 2
- What the clay figure found was none other than the evil dragon's heart itself. Though the creature had perished long ago, its heart was still there, pulsing away and growing warmer with every beat.
- And the clay alchemist knew what it meant — that the evil dragon would return one day, just as the prophecy had foretold.
- Yet guided by his mother's wisdom, he foresaw another fate. If only the alchemist could bestow this heart upon the little dragon, he might be reborn in the evil dragon's stead.
- Only then would the evil dragon's heart grow still, and the little one inherit its tale.
- At last, the little dragon accepted the evil dragon's heart.
- And a new life came into being.
- The evil dragon's heart beat in his chest, and the little dragon's soul guided him forward.
- Thus did the prophecy hold true, even as fate had been rewritten — and so was the little dragon born anew.
- Paimon: Finally, a happy ending! That must be the last step, right? Woohoo, we completed the story!
- But, then why are we still here?
- Paimon: Um...
- Narrator: Born anew, the little dragon set off once more, his story far from over.
- Paimon: Huh? So that wasn't the end?
- Albedo: What comes next might be the most crucial part of all — the real "last step."
- (Wanderer): Hmph. If fate really is as devious as they say, then I say... show us what you've got.
- Paimon: Wow, you're all so serious all of a sudden.
- Durin: Urgh...
- (Durin clutches his chest as his heart throbs painfully)
- Paimon: Durin, are you alright?
- Narrator: The evil dragon's heart was now one with the little dragon, yet the dark power within it still lingered.
- Narrator: Would the little dragon dare to hold this power back, or would he simply... give in?
- Paimon: Hey! What kind of question is that? Of course he's gonna control it. What choice does he have?
- (The Narrator's voice becomes distorted)
- Narrator: Time... is running out... So, would the little dragon dare to hold this power back, or would he simply... give in?
- Paimon: Uh, what's up with the narrator...?
- (After the dialogue)
- Narrator: Would he dare to hold this power back, or would he simply... give in?
- The player must attempt all of the following paths:
- Return to the castle... (if not done so previously)
- Give in...
- Hold back the darkness...
- (Follow the path to hold the power back)
- Narrator: The little dragon and his companions... blank... blank again...
- Paimon: Huh, what's going on? Are we running out of ink?
- Albedo: Once the ink runs out, is that the end of the story?
- (Wanderer): I had a feeling this would happen...
- (Albedo, Durin, and the Wanderer slowly fade away)
- Paimon: What's happening to the others...?
- Narrator: Now that the story's ink was spent, all that lay ahead were blank pages.
- (Go to Bad End)
- (Follow the path to hold the power back again, optional)
- Paimon: Not enough ink? Seriously...?
- Guess we need to turn to our other options.
- ("Give in" by letting the timer run out)
- The prophecy is destined to come true...
- Narrator: The little dragon was at an impasse, and the dark power within him surged like a tide.
- Narrator: Unchecked, the darkness engulfed everything around it, including the little dragon's soul.
- Narrator: The little dragon's story faded into nothingness — and in the world beyond the castle, only the evil dragon's tale endured.
- Durin: Is this... me?
- Narrator: And so the story ended — with the little dragon fading from sight, leaving nothing but the evil dragon's shadow in his place.
- So, the story's over?
- Paimon: Oh no, but... that means Durin...
- Paimon: What do we do now?
- (Go to Bad End)
- (Follow the path for returning to the castle, if not done so previously)
- Durin: Returning to the castle...
- You seem like you're torn about something?
- Durin: I just never thought crossing over into a new world would create so much trouble. All I wanted was to make some friends.
- Durin: I'm starting to think I kinda miss being in Simulanka...
- (Wanderer): You might look back on it with fondness but, if I were you, I wouldn't miss it.
- Durin: Why?
- (Wanderer): Sometimes, moving on with your life comes at a cost. But, that's better than going nowhere at all.
- Albedo: You don't have to worry, Durin. No matter what problem you face, there will always be a solution.
- Durin: Okay...
- Durin: Sometimes, I wish I could just go back and see it again...
- Narrator: As the little dragon slipped back inside the castle's walls, the clamor of the outside world fell away.
- Narrator: There was no danger here, no problems for the little dragon to resolve.
- Narrator: As soon as his mother finished her story, it was time for the child to drift off into the world of dreams.
- Narrator: And so the story ended — with the little dragon fast asleep in his castle, just like he had never even hatched.
- Durin: What's going on? I feel so weak...
- Paimon: Hey, what's happening? Durin, wake up!
- We've reached an ending...
- Paimon: But, but... this can't be how it ends! Durin promised to bring back everyone's memories... There's no way he'd accept an ending like this!
- (Go to Bad End)
- (After completing all available options)
- Cutscene's Travel Log summary:
- Paimon: What's going on here? Why isn't the story letting Durin just suppress the Abyssal power? It keeps getting stuck...
- Durin: Aghhh...
- (Durin grips his chest again)
- Albedo: Hmm... It seems the act of suppressing the power counts as an "event" in the story. In other words, we would need ink to write it in.
- Paimon: So, what now? Did we use too much earlier?
- Paimon: How are we supposed to write a happy ending with only this much left...?
- It's possible...
- It's just not time for the story to end.
- Paimon: But...
- (Wanderer): Hm... Well, this is Durin's story. As long as he's alive and well, why should it end?
- Albedo: If there really is such a direct correlation between the story and his fate, I may have a potential hypothesis.
- Albedo: Durin was — and still is, in essence — a storybook character written into being by "M." From the moment he was born, he has always dwelt within her story.
- Albedo: ...And I suspect that has remained the case, even after his arrival in Teyvat.
- Albedo: Reviving Durin in the evil dragon's place was an act of grafting this Durin's "story" onto the latter's "fate." In essence, that is how his fate was rewritten.
- Albedo: But there is a fundamental difference between a being's "story" and its "fate."
- Albedo: As Miss Barbeloth reminded us, the fate of every living being in Teyvat has been woven into the fabric of time. It's [sic] most natural path, therefore, is to proceed along its given track.
- Albedo: But Durin's story, on the other hand...
- Needs an author...
- ...To continue writing it.
- Albedo: As Durin's connection to this world wore thin, not only have people started to forget him, he's started to lose control of the Abyssal power within.
- Albedo: In other words, his story can't continue... because the author's ink is drying up. That's what it seems like to me.
- Narrator: It would seem the little dragon had made a group of fine friends indeed...
- (Wanderer): Save it. The question is — are you here to help him, or stand in his way?
- (The Narrator's voice distorts again)
- Narrator: This is as far... as the story can go... What path... will you choose?
- Durin: I...
- If the story ends now...
- ...Durin will just vanish.
- Durin: I suppose... the final decision is up to me.
- Durin: It's hard to believe I never actually left my mother's story. If that's true, I'd like to go there and see for myself.
- Albedo: By "there," I take it you mean... the blank pages of the unwritten chapter ahead?
- Paimon: B—But... we still don't even know how Alice's magic works.
- Paimon: If Durin belongs inside the story, then going outside of it, to some unwritten part... Isn't that too risky?
- Durin: ...I'm not afraid.
- Then go for it. We'll be with you all the way.
- Albedo: I second that. It would seem this is one answer you need to go seize for yourself.
- (Wanderer): So be it. Whatever obstacles stand in your way, we'll tear them down together.
- (Attack the transparent wall)
- Narrator: Facing that invisible wall... it was as if the little dragon... was staring at the uncrossable edge of existence itself...
- (Attack the wall again)
- Narrator: ...Then all of a sudden it began to fracture... as if struck by some... transcendent will...
- (After attacking the wall until it breaks)
- Cutscene's Travel Log summary:
- Durin: Gotta... keep going...
- (As soon as Durin's foot crosses the threshold, his mind is pulled into a white void)
- Narrator: Ahead lies only... a storyless void...
- Durin: My consciousness... is slipping away...
- Albedo: Keep going, Durin. A pure soul is your essence, not an empty void.
- Durin: I feel so... weak...
- Albedo: Stand tall, Durin. You are not some amorphous idea. The body I made for you is flesh and bone.
- Durin: Am I truly... alive?
- Albedo: Yes Durin, but you must keep going. You're as alive and real as I am.
- (After the dialogue)
- Durin: I can't feel a... a connection...
- (Wanderer): You're not alone in this world, Durin. At the very least... you have me.
- Durin: I can't remember... anything... Who am I?
- (Wanderer): Your name is Durin, and there are many who still remember it.
- Durin: My name is Durin...
- (Wanderer): You're taking too long.
- (Wanderer): C'mon, Durin. Run. In this world, fate waits for no one.
- Durin: Wait! Where am I meant to go? What am I supposed to do?
- (Traveler): Go make your wish come true, Durin.
- Durin: My... wish?
- (A staircase appears nearby)
- (Approach the steps)
- (Traveler): Your story's not over yet!
- (Reach the top of the steps)
- Your story's not over yet!
- (The scene shifts to the Hexenzirkel's tea party in the sky, where they gather as Dodocos)
- Anya: Silence, huh... Have you nothing to say about my proposal?
- Rhinedottir: Let me get this straight... You want to graft your story onto this unfinished thread of fate — and in doing so, not only rewrite that fate, but allow the story to live on...
- Alice: Quite the brilliant idea. Still, the story's survival depends entirely on whether the author keeps writing...
- Barbeloth: Exactly. And the moment foretold by the prophecy is still centuries away.
- Anya: ...I see.
- Anya: I thought my own ignorance might be the problem — that I'd asked more of the noble science of alchemy than it could ever deliver.
- Anya: ...Or, that I had failed to discern the heavenly signs and grasp the secret truth underlying the prophecy.
- Anya: Little did I imagine that time itself would prove to be the greatest hurdle of all.
- Rhinedottir: Well, my friend, this has been a most intriguing experiment. And from an academic perspective, at least, I don't think it was a bad proposal.
- Barbeloth: Someday, the prophecy will come to pass. So remember, my friend — much like the stars themselves, there will always be something that transcends the test of time.
- Anya: Thank you, everyone... You've helped me so much already. But Alice, I still have one final favor to ask of you.
- Anya: Will you lend me your magic one last time, just enough for me to keep his story alive until the prophecy is fulfilled?
- Alice: You mean, you want me to... hahaha, extend your lifespan?
- Anya: No, not in that sense. As Rhinedottir once told me, the laws governing life and death are among the most unyielding in this world... I'm well aware of that.
- Anya: Whether it lasts a day or an age, the span of one's life is determined by fate alone.
- Anya: If I tried to breach that law by force, I'm afraid I would lose what makes me human.
- Anya: This is not a path I want to go down. If I am to die, then I shall die a human.
- Alice: So... What is it that you want me to do?
- Anya: I would like you to send this pen of mine into the future.
- Alice: ...I see. Then perhaps there really is a way I can help.
- Alice: I could create a kind of "story magic" to take over the writing once you're gone.
- Alice: But for it to work, you would need to provide enough of your own words for it to learn from.
- Anya: How much?
- Alice: Oh, an immense amount... so much, in fact, that you would have to spend the rest of your life writing. And even then, I'm sorry to say, it would not last forever.
- Alice: No matter how much you write, there is a limit to the number of words you can leave behind, but the world itself will never stop changing.
- Alice: Someday, perhaps, even your entire corpus will not be enough for the magic to continue describing this world. And when that happens, the story will end.
- Anya: Still, it's worth a try.
- I would like you to send this pen of mine into the future.
- (The scene changes to show the elderly Andersdotter in Dodoco form, still writing at her desk)
- Anya: *coughing*...
- Alice: Oh, my dear Anya. Even after all this time, you're still... *sigh* Look at you. You should be enjoying your old age in peace and quiet. Especially now that things are finally returning to normal after that terrible calamity...
- Anya: Once he leaves Simulanka, things will only get more complicated. If his story is to continue, there needs to be more material for the magic to draw upon... *coughs*
- Anya: I'll just have to skip over some of the less important details... *coughing*
- Alice: Anya... Why do you insist on sending him out of the storybook world? Why must he face his fate in Teyvat?
- Alice: Why not just let him remain within the story? With my magic, even fate's curse could be undone, and he could live happily ever after.
- Anya: Mm, I suppose. In fairy tales, all it takes is a heartfelt wish, and even a wooden puppet can turn himself into a real boy... and live "happily ever after"...
- Anya: That's just how fairy tales end, isn't it? But, have you ever wondered what happens to the main character after the "ever after"?
- Alice: Hm...
- Anya: Tell me, Alice. In your eyes, what would be a writer's greatest regret?
- Alice: To... leave a story without an ending?
- Anya: Not a bad answer. It's true, many writers come to consider that their greatest regret. But I see things differently.
- Anya: My greatest regret is that every story I write has to come to an end in the first place.
- Alice: Anya...
- Anya: No matter how brilliantly a character shines, the moment their story ends, their potential is lost forever.
- Anya: For them, the story itself becomes an inescapable fate.
- Anya: But what if instead, I could place my pen in their hand and let them continue the story themselves?
- Alice: You mean...
- Anya: You said it yourself, I can only leave so many words behind. Even with your magic, the idea that I could keep the story going until the prophecy comes to pass is wishful thinking at best.
- Anya: But I've found a way to use your magic to transform some of my finished stories into a special kind of ink.
- Anya: This ink is a magical medium he can use to complete the story the way he wants to.
- Anya: For what is storytelling, but another kind of magic? And if he can experience the whole tale himself while leaving behind his own wishes and aspirations...
- Anya: Even once he reaches the chapter where I stopped, he'll still be able to carry the story forward on his own.
- Anya: And so, by leaving him this ink, I can entrust him with the responsibility of writing his own story.
- Alice: A character with the power to write their own story...
- Anya: That way, he'll finally be free from the cage that is my pen — and like anyone else living in the real world, he can go on to create a life of his own.
- Alice: And you no longer need to worry about the constraints of my magic... What a brilliant idea, Anya!
- Alice: B—But... there are still risks.
- Alice: First of all, once he arrives in Teyvat, he'll have to rely entirely on the story you left him to maintain his connection to that world.
- Alice: As you gradually hand over creative control, that connection will grow weaker, and at some point he might lose it altogether.
- Anya: But at the same time, he'll also have the chance to forge that connection for himself.
- Alice: Mmm... The issue is, this method taps into too many of Teyvat's core secrets. Any overt hints you try to leave will be erased in no time.
- Alice: In fact, it'd be hard for you to leave anything at all to guide them.
- Anya: We still have the story itself, though. I can use that to show them the way.
- Alice: It's entirely possible he burns through all your ink, never reaches the chapter you had in mind, and gets stuck roaming the chapters of his past.
- Alice: But despite all that, you...
- Anya: ...I still believe in what this child can become.
- Anya: His hopes and wishes can be his "ink," so he won't be trapped by mine running dry.
- Alice: Ah, what the writer you are, Anya. Your imagination never ceases to amaze.
- Alice: And, you do know how much I love a happy ending, hahahaha. You shall have my help, my dear.
- Anya: Thank you, my friend.
- (Alice disappears, and Andersdotter turns to face Durin)
- Anya: Well then, my child. Do you understand what you must do?
- Durin: Yes, I... think I do.
- Durin: It's my turn to keep this story alive.
- Anya: Then what's holding you back?
- Durin: ...What will become of you after I take up this pen?
- Anya: I will fade away. There will no longer be a reason for me to go on existing.
- Anya: My child, I... or your mother, I should say, passed away long ago. The voice you're hearing is nothing but a magical echo that has now fulfilled its purpose. You needn't feel so reluctant to let me go.
- Durin: I know... I know my mother died long ago.
- Durin: It's just... when you lose your mom too soon, it's hard to tear yourself away from the stories she used to read. I guess it's a silly way of pretending she's still here, by your side...
- Anya: Durin...
- Durin: But after coming to this world and traveling it with my friends, facing all kinds of enemies together...
- Durin: I suddenly realized, I couldn't just sit around listening to my mother's stories, because I'd found a new purpose in life.
- Durin: Maybe this is just what growing up feels like. With all my new friends waiting, it's time I finally set aside my mother's storybook...
- Durin: I'm ready to grow up now, Mom.
- Anya: Mm... Then take this, a gift I should've given you a long time ago.
- Anya: You've witnessed this story from the very beginning... made your wishes, offered your blessings, and even wrote your choices into its pages.
- Anya: From here on out, this pen is yours.
- Anya: Now I ask of you, the other pillar of this story, as both its reader and its witness:
- Anya: Will you turn the page so the next chapter can begin?
- (Turn the page...)
- You turn the page so the next chapter can begin.
- Act VI — "Fate"
- Suddenly and without warning, the powers of darkness struck. The question was... could the little dragon prevail?
- Alas, it was here that the story-witch's tale had to end...
- ...But Durin's tale, on the other hand, had only just begun.
- Stepping into his mother's memories, he picked up her pen. And so the story that was ending began anew...
- He had made up his mind to challenge the fate that barred the way ahead.
- Albedo: Looks like this is the final step.
- (Wanderer): A chance to strike back at fate? Now that's not something that comes knocking every day.
- Paimon: Go get it, Durin!
- "Fate": I cannot die... I will be reborn... and bring calamity to all... It has been decreed... by fate itself!
- Durin: No, that fate no longer defines me. In the end, only my story shall endure.
- (During the fight with "Fate")
- (If Durin's health falls below 5%)
- (Traveler): Your story's not over yet!
- (Durin's health is restored)
- (After defeating the first wave)
- (Wanderer): No dodging this one! Here, I'll help lift you up!
- (The Wanderer summons a wind current)
- (When the quill appears)
-
- (Hint)
- Attack the quill with Elemental Skill or Elemental Burst to charge it up
- (After attacking the quill the first time)
- Durin: Only my story shall endure!
- (After defeating the second wave)
- Albedo: Looks like there's nowhere to hide... Here, I'll cover for you.
- (Albedo summons a shield)
- (After attacking the quill the second time)
- Durin: This time, the light prevails!
- (After defeating "Fate")
- "Fate": ...
- Durin: Thank you, Mom...
- And so it was that Durin defeated the darkness and rewrote his fate.
- But his story... is far from over.
- But his story... is far from over.
- (Durin and his friends are transported back to Dragonspine)
- Durin: Is everyone okay?
- Paimon: We're fine, thanks — and hey, we all saw how you fought back there. That was awesome!
- Is that a new outfit?
- It looks a lot more... free.
- Durin: I have to admit, I do feel like something in me has changed...
- Durin: I owe you all so much. Without your help, I don't know if I could have ever made it this far.
- (Wanderer): Just a shame I could only help out from the sidelines. Like I said before, it's not every day that you get to put fate in its place...
- Durin: Mm... Well, I'm sure you'll hear it someday!
- (Wanderer): ...Hear what?
- Durin: The chance to strike back at fate knocking at your door!
- (Wanderer): Heh... Yeah, maybe someday.
- Albedo: Allow me to just check one thing.
- Albedo: ...Yes. The Abyssal power within you has stabilized again, and those strange symptoms you were experiencing seem to have completely disappeared.
- Paimon: Thank goodness!
- We did it!
- Albedo: Hm, I wonder what it means though... Aside from the principles of alchemy, what other "law" of this world governs his being?
- (Wanderer): Look, it all turned out fine, so just leave it at that. Now that this one's out of danger, it's time for me to get out of here.
- Durin: You're leaving so soon? Don't humans usually throw a party after something like this?
- (Wanderer): A party? Do I look like that kinda guy?
- (Wanderer): Anyway, come find me again next time you're in trouble. That's what "friends" are for, right?
- Some people never change...
- Albedo: In a way, though, he is right. This is Durin's moment to celebrate, not the time for academic discussions.
- Durin: Hey, I don't blame you for asking — and honestly, I'd be perfectly happy to talk about it. It's just... I wouldn't even know where to start.
- Albedo: It's alright, I'm sure we'll get a chance at some point. After all, your story's only just begun.
- Durin: Mm-hmm...
- Albedo: Alright then... (Traveler) and Paimon, we'll part ways here. Given the extraordinary nature of the things we witnessed today, I need to make sure it's all recorded properly.
- Paimon: Okay, see ya!
- Paimon: So, it's party time next— ...Huh!?
- (The book flips open on its own)
- ???: Dodoco— Dodoco—
- Alice: Congratulations on completing your mission! Now then, as per our agreement, it's about time you returned that book.
- Paimon: She must've known the moment we finished... just like she said she would!
- (Obtain
Toward the Distant Horizon)
- (Obtain
Step DescriptionThanks to your help, Durin has finally completed the trials of fate. Now, it's time to return the book to Alice...
- (Approach Alice on the Hexenzirkel's Island in the Sky)
- Alice: Ah, my writer and witness. It's been quite the journey, hasn't it?
- Paimon: You had special plans for (Traveler) from the start, didn't you...
- Alice: Hahaha! But of course, that goes without saying! For a story to live on, it needs both a writer and a reader. Only then can my magic take effect.
- Alice: I chose (Traveler) as the witness because of the special nature of who (he/
she) is. - Alice: It's not easy finding someone with that kind of background, you know. For a moment, I even considered taking the role myself, hahaha.
- Well, you were the only one who understood what was going on...
- Venti: At least it made for an interesting story, right?
- Paimon: Eh? What are you doing here, Tone-Deaf Bard?
- Venti: With the Hexenzirkel carrying out such a risky "experiment" in Mondstadt, it didn't cross your minds that the Anemo Archon might be slightly curious?
- Durin: Sorry for the trouble, Lord Barbatos...
- Alice: Think nothing of it — I daresay the Anemo Archon quite enjoyed coming along for the ride. Now then, as agreed, let us see the fruits of your labor.
- Durin: Here, please take a look.
- (Durin offers Alice the book)
- Alice: Well, well, well... Somehow, despite all my careful planning, it still turned out to be full of surprises.
- Alice: It never even crossed my mind that Rhinedottir's child would be capable of handling that kind of alchemy in her stead. When he asked for help with the materials, oh my, I nearly couldn't believe it!
- Alice: If only the others were here too... We could all celebrate together.
- (A huffy voice pipes up from one of the teacups)
- Barbeloth: I'm right here, you know. The only one who hasn't responded is the one busy stuffing her face over there.
- Alice: Hahaha, is that you, Barbie? A little late to the party, don't you think?
- Barbeloth: Come here, child. Let me take a closer look at you.
- Durin: ...Alright, Aunt Seer-Witch. Here I am.
- Barbeloth: Just as I thought... This child's fate does not appear among the stars. Anya has accomplished what almost no one before her could.
- Durin: ...What does that mean?
- Barbeloth: Child, all you need to know is that you're very lucky indeed.
- Durin: Oh...
- So... What does it mean?
- Barbeloth: (The teacup falls silent. Perhaps the mage's thoughts have already drifted elsewhere.)
- Paimon: Just like how she was in the story, huh...
- Alice: Tell me, little Durin, what will you do next? I, for one, cannot wait to see how your story unfolds.
- Durin: Well, there's so much I want to do... I'm not even sure where to begin!
- Venti: How about settling your most recent regret?
- (Venti whispers something to Durin, who nods in response and runs off)
- Paimon: Not so fast, Tone-Deaf Bard... What exactly did you just tell Durin to do?
- Venti: To make a long-overdue wish come true.
- (Andersdotter's voice emerges from the book once more)
- "M": Thank you once again, Alice.
- Alice: ...How much time do you have left?
- "M": I believe... these should be my final moments. Just enough time to say goodbye to my dearest friend.
- Alice: This feels like having to say our final goodbyes all over again. I don't like it. Not one bit.
- (The Traveler and Paimon look on in sympathy as Alice turns away, sounding distraught)
- "M": ...I don't know how to respond to that.
- "M": Strange, you were always such a cheerful figure in "my" stories... I even dubbed you the "merry-witch," you know...
- Alice: Oh, please... You know full well, it was your stories that first taught me what true pain and sadness felt like.
- "M": ...
- Alice: Aside from saying goodbye to me, shouldn't you also leave a few words for the child?
- Alice: Since the book will be his to continue, why don't you write him a little parting note?
- "M": There's no need. His mother already did that, long, long ago.
- "M": All that remains is for me to convey it on her behalf.
- (A cinematic plays)
-
- Anya: My child, these may be the last words I get to leave you
- Anya: I've always thought of the characters in my stories as my children
- Anya: Loving each one of them just like a mother would
- Anya: But you are the most extraordinary of them all
- Anya: You alone can defy the fate of this world
- Anya: And write the perfect ending to my story
- Anya: You alone shall leave these pages...
- Anya: For a future I will not see
- Anya: Still, I say to you... Fly, my sweet child
- Anya: Just like a forest breeze yearns for the open sky
- Anya: Head into the unknown and seek an adventure to call your own
- Anya: If you meet a dragon bright as a thousand jewels, dance through the air together
- Anya: You are not alone, for this world has accepted your place in it
- Anya: Do not lose heart. You still have many wishes left to fulfill
- Anya: A long tale awaits you, my love
- Anya: Let songs and flowers be the ink that fills its pages
- Anya: Take my pen and use it to continue your story
- (Cinematic ends)
- Bad End
- (If running out of ink is the cause for bad ending)
- Narrator: The little dragon and his companions... blank... blank again...
- Paimon: Huh, what's going on? Are we running out of ink?
- Albedo: Once the ink runs out, is that the end of the story?
- (Wanderer): I had a feeling this would happen...
- (Albedo, Durin, and the Wanderer slowly fade away)
- Paimon: What's happening to the others...?
- Narrator: Now that the story's ink was spent, all that lay ahead were blank pages.
- (Continues below)
- (First time reaching a bad ending)
-
- ???: Dodoco— Dodoco—
- ???: Hello children! If you're hearing this recording, it's because you've reached a certain ending.
- (Traveler): (Alice?)
- Alice: You may have noticed that little Durin's experiences have been written into the pages of this book. Well, you should know that in the same way, its ending will also be "written" onto him.
- Alice: So be careful, because triggering a bad ending could be somewhat... problematic.
- (Traveler): (You're warning us after it already happened? What kind of logic is that?)
- Alice: Let me guess... You're upset that I didn't warn you earlier? Don't worry, though, I've thought it all through.
- Alice: I built a very special feature into this book — just for you, the witnesses of this tale. So go ahead, see if you can turn back the pages.
- Alice: If you're not happy with the ending you've reached, just flip back a few pages and let the tale unfold once more.
- (Traveler): (Talk about a plot twist...)
- Alice: Hahaha, pretty incredible, huh? That's the power of magic!
- (Subsequent times reaching a bad ending)
-
- Alice: Dodoco— Dodoco—
- Alice: Hmmm, looks like you've discovered another possible ending...
- Alice: Do not lose hope. You just need to keep searching, for there are possibilities that only you can bring to life.
- Flip Back
- Cutscene's Travel Log summary:
Post-Quest Dialogue
- (Talk to Alice)
- Alice: There you go, your very own copy of the book. We wouldn't want one of the story's key witnesses to leave empty-handed now, would we?
- Alice: Of course, this copy isn't "magical" in the same way — but rest assured, all the twists and turns are still there.
- (Talk to Venti)
- Venti: "And so they flew together, Durin and Dvalin, over the skies of Mondstadt..."
- Venti: Who'd have thought such words could ever have described a happy ending, huh?
Soundtracks
Gallery
Story Teaser- What Still Lies Unwritten - Genshin Impact
Other Languages
| Language | Official Name |
|---|---|
| English | The Solution of Fate |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 命运的题解 Mìngyùn de Tíjiě |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 命運的題解 Mìngyùn de Tíjiě |
| Japanese | 運命の解答 Unmei no Kaitou |
| Korean | 운명의 해답 Unmyeong'ui Haedap |
| Spanish | La solución del destino |
| French | La solution du destin |
| Russian | Решение судьбы Resheniye sud'by |
| Thai | คำเฉลยแห่งโชคชะตา |
| Vietnamese | Giải Đáp Của Vận Mệnh |
| German | Die Lösung des Schicksals |
| Indonesian | Solusi Takdir |
| Portuguese | A Solução do Destino |
| Turkish | Kaderin Çözümü |
| Italian | La soluzione del destino |
Change History
Released in Version "Luna III"