Vol.13: Dainsleif - The Curse of Immortality and the Twilight Sword. The "Endpoint of Fate" Continually Witnessed by the Man Who Hates Gods and Hunts The Abyss

Introduction: The Existential Observer in the False Sky

In this project, which systematically unravels the hidden history and cosmological structure of the continent of Teyvat, the existence of the individual known as Dainsleif goes far beyond the framework of a mere survivor of a fallen nation. He is positioned as the most unique “observer” who embodies the structural contradictions, mythological karma, and philosophical themes that this world harbors. Despite being the former captain of the royal guards, the “Twilight Sword,” of Khaenri’ah—a godless nation destroyed by The Heavenly Principles 500 years ago—he does not side with the Abyss Order, which holds revenge against The Heavenly Principles (the gods) as its supreme mandate. Instead, he continues to wander the wilderness of Teyvat in solitude.

In the context of Gnosticism, if Teyvat is defined as the “False Sky” (Kenoma = a materially flawed world) and The Heavenly Principles as the “false god” (Demiurge), then The Abyss is an extreme anti-cosmic principle that seeks to fundamentally destroy the material world and return it to primordial chaos. Dainsleif belongs to neither of these. While he despises the “fate” imposed by The Heavenly Principles, he also rejects the destruction brought about by the madness of The Abyss, continuing to stand on the boundary of causality (the twilight).

This report logically separates yet integrates the facts derived from historical fragments, texts, and the latest Archon Quest (as of Version 6.1 in 2026) scattered throughout the game, along with advanced speculations based on mythology and philosophy. It will discuss in overwhelming detail the metaphysical meaning of the “curse of immortality” he bears, his fateful connection with The Five Sinners and his blood-related prophet, and the full picture of the “final destination of fate” that he will ultimately witness.

1. The Jet-Black Bloodline and the Bipolar Dynasties: The Historical Stratification and Ideology of Khaenri’ah

To understand Dainsleif’s behavioral principles and the sins he bears, it is necessary to accurately grasp the historical stratification of the nation he once served, Khaenri’ah, and the paradigm shift of ideologies that swirled within it. The in-game book Perinheri and related archaeological texts present as a clear fact that Khaenri’ah was not a nation controlled by a single ideology, but an empire that experienced extreme ideological transformations.

1.1 From the Crimson Moon Dynasty to the Eclipse Dynasty: The Shift from Mysticism to Mechanism (Facts and Speculation)

It has been confirmed that the history of Khaenri’ah can be broadly divided into two eras based on differences in its power structure and the technological systems it emphasized.

The era in which Dainsleif served as the captain of the royal guards was during the “Eclipse Dynasty,” which corresponds to the final days of the nation. Stepping into the realm of speculation, compared to the Crimson Moon era, which remained within the domain of life creation through alchemy (the transmutation of the soul from Nigredo to Rubedo), the Eclipse era had expanded its ambitions to the point of attempting the creation of mechanical gods (the technological foundation leading to the Loom of Fate) and direct interference with the Void of The Abyss outside the world. It is presumed that this radical technocentrism and approach to The Abyss ultimately incurred the wrath of The Heavenly Principles, becoming the direct cause of “The Cataclysm” 500 years ago.

1.2 The Metaphor of Dynastic Change: The Existential Meaning of “The Eclipse Swallowed by the Crimson Moon” (Speculation)

In Dainsleif’s official character introduction (Drip Marketing), a self-proclaimed prophet (presumed to be his older brother Vedrfolnir, discussed later) leaves the following poetic prophecy:

“In an ominous time, the eclipse is swallowed by the crimson moon”

As a matter of fact, the original Chinese text for “black sun” in this phrase is translated as Eclipse, but it is simultaneously a proper noun referring to the Eclipse Dynasty. Furthermore, it has been pointed out that the expression “swallowed by” carries the nuance of “achieving revenge” in Chinese idiomatic usage. Adding deeper speculation, this is not merely a metaphor for an astronomical phenomenon, but an implication of the blood-stained power struggles and karmic retribution within Khaenri’ah. There is a past where the Eclipse Dynasty hunted down the bloodline of the Crimson Moon (the existence of assassins like Rerir, the Rächer of Solnari), and as a settlement for that sin, it is a metaphor for a fatalistic cycle where the dying wish of the Crimson Moon (or those who inherit its power, such as Arlecchino, who draws the “blood of the Crimson Moon,” and other survivors) brings an end to the remnants of the Eclipse. Although Dainsleif served at the core of the Eclipse Dynasty, he was a witness who observed the arrogance of this empire and the seeds of destruction it contained up close, and there are indications that he accepts the dynasty’s downfall as partly “reaping what they sowed.” While he harbors poignant regret for failing to protect his homeland from the gods, the reason he dismisses the Abyss Order, which advocates for the revival of Khaenri’ah, as a “delusion” is none other than because he understands the Original Sin this nation bears (the blood-stained history of the Crimson Moon and the Eclipse, and their arrogance toward The Abyss) more deeply than anyone else.

2. The Symbolism of Dainsleif Deciphered Through Mythology: The Endless Struggle and the Memories of Irminsul

The name Dainsleif, along with his two aliases, the “Twilight Sword” and the “Bough Keeper,” conceals extremely important mythological codes for unraveling the cosmology of Teyvat.

2.1 The Demonic Sword “Dainsleif” and the Circle of Eternal Struggle (Facts and Mythological Context)

As a matter of fact, “Dainsleif” means “Dáinn’s Legacy” or “Legacy of the Dead” in Old Norse. In Norse mythology, Dainsleif is a cursed demonic sword forged by the dwarf Dáinn, and the weapon wielded by the Danish King Högni in the endless battle between Heðinn and Högni (Hjaðningavíg: the Battle of the Hjaðningar). This mythological demonic sword possesses the gruesome property that “once drawn from its scabbard, it cannot be sheathed until it has taken a human life,” and furthermore, wounds inflicted by it never heal. Additionally, this Battle of the Hjaðningar is a tale that symbolizes an “infinite cycle of struggle,” where the fallen warriors are magically resurrected every night to continue killing each other eternally until the day of Ragnarök (the end of the world).

As a speculation, applying this mythological background to the worldview of Teyvat brings Dainsleif’s raison d’être into sharp relief. The history of Teyvat exists within a “cycle of eternally repeated destruction and rebirth,” consisting of the prosperity of civilizations, judgment by The Heavenly Principles (the dropping of nails from Celestia and the wrath of the gods), and the birth of new civilizations. He bears the name “Legacy of the Dead” because he himself is a walking gravestone, shouldering the memories and sins of the fallen Khaenri’ah (the multitude of the dead) all by himself as he continues to walk across Teyvat. Furthermore, the title “Twilight Sword” signifies that he is one who stands at the “Twilight,” the boundary between day (the realm of light / the order of the gods) and night (The Abyss / the chaos of the abyss). Belonging to neither light nor darkness, he continues his endless battle as a singularity who denies the authority of the gods yet is not swallowed by the madness of The Abyss.

2.2 The “Bough Keeper” and the Breakwater of Irminsul (Facts and Speculation)

Let us consider his other alias, the “Bough Keeper.” As a fact, “Bough” means a large branch in English, and in the context of the game, it refers to the branches of “Irminsul,” which takes root deep underground in Teyvat and records all the information and memories of the world. As can be seen from the fact that Abyss Mages and Heralds drop “Ley Line Leaves/Branches” (Irminsul branches), the monsters of The Abyss also manifest within Teyvat by relying on, or parasitizing, the power of Irminsul. Interestingly, in Norse mythology, “Dáinn” is not only the maker of the demonic sword but also the name of one of the four stags (Dáinn, Dvalinn, Duneyrr, Þuraþrór) that devour the branches of the world tree Yggdrasil. The name of the wind dragon Dvalin is also taken from here.

From a speculative standpoint, his act of “keeping the boughs” indicates a meta-role of collecting and preserving the “forgotten memories (fragments of truth that escaped the tampering of The Heavenly Principles or Irminsul)” that have fallen from Irminsul. In Teyvat, if the records of Irminsul are rewritten (e.g., the events of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata and Scaramouche), people’s memories and physical laws are also altered. However, it is presumed that Dainsleif serves as a breakwater to maintain the true history of Teyvat by escaping the effects of that alteration, or by preserving the altered facts themselves as “boughs.”

2.3 The Ouroboros and the Fatalism of Eternal Return (Facts and Philosophy)

As a fact, Dainsleif’s Constellation is the “Ouroboros / Snake Ring Constellation,” a serpent biting its own tail. In mythology and alchemy, the Ouroboros symbolizes the “eternal cycle of death and rebirth,” the “continuity of creation and destruction,” “immortality,” and “wholeness.” In the lore of Enkanomiya, the Ouroboros is also passed down as an imaginary giant serpent that guards space and time.

Viewed philosophically, the Ouroboros resonates with Friedrich Nietzsche’s idea of “Eternal Return.” Teyvat is a miniature garden trapped in a specific loop of fate by the absolute system of The Heavenly Principles (the False Sky). From the perspective of Gnosticism, the boundary itself that envelops the material world (Kenoma) and prevents humans from reaching the realm of the true god (Pleroma) is interpreted as the Ouroboros (the cosmic serpent). Dainsleif bears this constellation of the Ouroboros. This means that he is the “last human trapped in the samsara of Teyvat’s fate,” while simultaneously indicating that he is the “watcher who continues to gaze at and remember that circle from the inside.” He despises the methods of The Abyss because he realizes that they do not lead to the true breaking of the circle (enlightenment and liberation), but are merely reckless acts that physically destroy the world only to create another hell.

3. The Curse of Immortality and the Metaphysics of “Erosion”: The Mechanism of The Heavenly Principles and the Singularity of Resistance

When discussing Dainsleif, one cannot avoid the conceptual theory of the “Curse of Immortality” cast upon the people of Khaenri’ah and “Erosion.” This is not a mere magical penalty, but a phenomenon related to the very foundation of the world-maintenance system of The Heavenly Principles (Sustainer of Heavenly Principles / Ronova) that rules Teyvat.

3.1 The Dual Structure of the Curse: The Absolute Disconnect Between Purebloods and Mixed-Bloods (Facts)

According to the facts revealed through the Archon Quests and episodes in The Chasm, at the time of Khaenri’ah’s destruction 500 years ago, two types of cruel fates were brought upon its citizens depending on the purity of their blood.

1. Pureblood Khaenri’ahns (such as Dainsleif): They were afflicted with the “Curse of Immortality,” denied the release of death, and forced to eternally experience the agony of “Erosion” (the collapse of mind and body). As time passes, they lose their sense of self, ultimately transforming into armors of the Void like the Shadowy Husks.

2. Mixed-blood Khaenri’ahns (such as immigrants from other nations): They received the curse of the wilderness, instantly losing their reason and being mutated into monsters such as hilichurls.

Dainsleif bears this “Curse of Immortality” upon himself and has continued to wander Teyvat for 500 years. He is a tragic commander who has helplessly watched his own subordinates, pureblood knights like Halfdan, transform into grotesque monsters at the end of their Erosion.

3.2 The Mechanism of “Erosion” by The Heavenly Principles (Speculation)

As has been reiterated in the stories of Zhongli, the Raiden Shogun (Ei), and Azhdaha, “Erosion” is not a natural aging phenomenon. It is a “shackle of Laws” artificially imposed by The Heavenly Principles upon the lifeforms of Teyvat (especially gods with mighty power and long-lived beings), an absolute curse that scrapes away memories, reason, and the very meaning of existence over time. To The Heavenly Principles, eternal immutability or abnormal evolution is a threat that disrupts the balance of the world. Therefore, they forcibly impose an increase in entropy (Erosion) on long-lived beings, ultimately reducing them back into the cycle of nature. However, the “Curse of Immortality” upon the pureblood citizens of Khaenri’ah is the most ruthless and malicious punishment of The Heavenly Principles, forcing them to “eternally experience this Erosion without the release of death.” While enduring the excruciating pain of having the core of their existence scraped away, they are not even allowed to return to dust.

3.3 The Singularity Against Erosion: The Branch of Irminsul, the Ring, and the Thirst for Revenge (Speculation)

Even though he is human, Dainsleif has endured this “Erosion”—which not even gods can escape—for 500 years, maintaining his human form and intellect. His right arm and parts of his body have mutated into a bluish-black hue (signs of Huskification) due to the contamination of The Abyss and the effects of the curse, but the progression to his entire body is suppressed to a highly unnatural degree. Regarding the reason he maintains his sanity, it is inferred that several factors are acting in combination.

• Possession of the branch of Irminsul: As mentioned above, his possession of a branch of Irminsul (whether physical or conceptual) as the “Bough Keeper” may be acting as an anchor against the Erosion of his existence.

• Intense existential will: His endless thirst for revenge to “hate the gods and hunt The Abyss,” along with his regret for the people he could not save, serves as the glue that keeps his ego firmly intact.

• The Prophet’s Ring (Vedrfolnir’s ring): From the speculation community and related texts, it is suggested that Dainsleif possesses a “ring” inherited from his older brother Vedrfolnir. If we take Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen as a motif, it is highly likely that this cursed ring functions as an artifact that barely protects his ego from the complete encroachment of the curse of immortality, while simultaneously forcing a harsh fate upon him.

4. The Five Sinners and the Blood-Related Prophet: The Philosophy of Rebellion and Collusion with The Abyss

The greatest core of Dainsleif’s story, and the fundamental reason he harbors intense hatred toward The Abyss, lies in his severance from “The Five Sinners of Khaenri’ah,” which includes his biological older brother, Vedrfolnir.

4.1 The Full Picture and Attributes of The Five Sinners (Facts)

According to the facts revealed in Version 4.7 “Bedtime Story” and subsequent limited events such as “Stygian Onslaught,” The Five Sinners are five of the six individuals who stood at the pinnacle of their respective fields in Khaenri’ah, who succumbed to the temptation of The Abyss and stole a world-destroying power from King Irmin. Dainsleif reminisces that if he and those five had cooperated, they might have been able to save their homeland from destruction, but they abandoned their duty to defend their country and disappeared in search of further transcendent power.

4.2 “The Visionary” Vedrfolnir and the Fetters of Gleipnir (Facts and Speculation)

One of The Five Sinners, “The Visionary” Vedrfolnir, is Dainsleif’s biological older brother. He possesses the attribute of “Time” and is said to have had the power to see through the past and the future. He was once King Irmin’s most trusted aide, but during the attack by the gods, he did not protect his homeland and fell to The Abyss, later contacting Chlothar Alberich to become the spiritual pillar (The Sinner) for the establishment of the Abyss Order.

As a fact, the old name of Vedrfolnir’s weapon, “Gleipnir,” means the unbreakable magical ribbon (fetter) used to bind the giant wolf Fenrir, who brings about the end of the world (Ragnarök) in Norse mythology. According to speculation, behind Vedrfolnir’s manipulation of “Time” and his acting as a prophet lies a meta-intention to bind (or manipulate in order to liberate) the very fate of Teyvat. The mockery of “self-proclaimed prophet” in Dainsleif’s introduction is an expression of the younger brother’s intense irony and mixed feelings of love and hate toward his older brother, who puts on airs of omniscience. Vedrfolnir is plotting a rebellion against The Heavenly Principles by guiding the Abyss Twin and completing the Loom of Fate. On the other hand, if we adopt the theory that he left the ring to Dainsleif (mentioned above), it is possible that he has incorporated even his younger brother’s hatred toward them and his obstruction of the Abyss Order’s plans into his “prophecy,” making him function as a “fetter (Gleipnir)” to complete the fate of Teyvat. A despairing picture emerges where even Dainsleif’s journey of revenge is merely a board game played in the palm of his older brother’s hand.

4.3 The Boundary Between the Light Realm and The Abyss: A Philosophical Interpretation of Dainsleif’s “Power” (Speculation)

The power Dainsleif uses in combat and cutscenes does not belong to any of the seven elements of Teyvat. The “dark blue, galaxy-like starry sky aura” emitted when he chokes an Abyss Herald or during the battle in Ochkanatlan draws a clear line from the ominous purplish-black aura (the jet-black Void) emitted by the monsters of The Abyss.

Speculating from the perspective of alchemy and worldview settings, the power of The Abyss obtained by The Five Sinners is the polar opposite of the power of the Light Realm (the source of the elements and The Seven), and it is a dangerous force that causes one to lose oneself and turn into a monster if used without a means of neutralization. The Sinners controlled and “transcended” that power through their own outstanding authority, but Dainsleif has not completely devoted himself to The Abyss like the Sinners have. The reason he can exercise this starry sky-like power while maintaining his sanity is likely because he manipulates phenomena through the pure willpower of a human, belonging neither to “The Heavenly Principles (Light)” nor “The Abyss (Darkness).” Alternatively, it is possible that the power of the memories of the “branch of Irminsul” he holds acts as a power of the Light Realm that neutralizes the contamination of The Abyss, producing the blue starry sky-like effect. This can also be said to be evidence that he has touched a fragment of the true Laws of the universe that lie “outside” the False Sky of Teyvat.

5. The Loom of Fate and the Illusion of New Khaenri’ah: An Existential Rebellion Against Determinism

In philosophically deciphering the existence of Dainsleif, the structure of his conflict with the “Loom of Fate” project promoted by the Abyss Order (and The Sibling) is an unavoidable theme.

5.1 Caribert and the Completion of the Loom of Fate (Facts)

As a fact revealed in the Archon Quest “Bedtime Story” and others, the Abyss Order has been advancing a project called the “Loom of Fate” over many years. Initially, its purpose was the creation of a mechanical god using the eye of the first Field Tiller and a Defiled Statue of The Seven, but it ultimately evolved into a device that reweaves the Ley Lines themselves. Its core was the pure consciousness of Caribert, the son of Chlothar Alberich, who was supposed to have been cursed and turned into a monster. The Abyss Sibling reclaimed the eye of the first Field Tiller from within Dainsleif’s body and completed the Loom of Fate. Then, based on memories from 500 years ago, they created the “Atlas of the New World,” weaving the Ley Lines of “New Khaenri’ah” into the depths of the “Night Kingdom.”

5.2 Deterministic Destruction or Existential Observation (Speculation)

This conflict can be interpreted as a clash between two different approaches to fatalistic Determinism.

• Abyss Order (The Sibling, Vedrfolnir): This is a “revolutionary destructivism” that attempts to violently rewrite the very rules of Teyvat (the Ley Lines managed by The Heavenly Principles) with the power of The Abyss, forcibly creating a new world by patching together the memories of the dead. They are willing to turn the existing world into hell if it means overthrowing the gods.

• Dainsleif: He despises both the rule of the gods and the cruelty of fate, but he condemns the Abyss’s methods of tampering with the Ley Lines and fabricating the past as a “delusion.” The past cannot be undone, and the dead will not return. His is an “existential endurance” that seeks to survive the “present” while bearing that pain, aiming to witness the true, unfalsified final destination of fate.

The reason Dainsleif warned the Traveler, “Do not trust the gods, but do not try to hunt them,” is none other than because he fears and understands better than anyone the circle of the Ouroboros (the repetition of history)—that rewriting causality through extreme power like that of The Abyss will ultimately result in a repeat of Khaenri’ah’s destruction (a more catastrophic cosmic tragedy).

6. The Solitude as a “Recorder” and the Culmination of the Latest 2026 Lore

Dainsleif is a character within the story, but at the same time, he is granted a privileged position as a meta “Recorder / Narrator” who oversees the entire work of Genshin Impact.

6.1 The Observer Crossing the Fourth Wall: The Privilege as a Narrator (Facts and Speculation)

As a fact, Dainsleif has served as the narrator for Genshin Impact’s official video series “Collected Miscellany” and the “Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview: Travail” since the early days. From the past to the future, he speaks of the outcomes of all the nations of Teyvat and The Seven, as well as the fates of each character, “as if he sees through everything.” This meta-perspective is not unrelated to the fact that he is blood brothers with the prophet of “Time,” Vedrfolnir. Through the branches of Irminsul, or from the boundary of the twilight, he is an entity granted the privilege to observe every act of the stage known as Teyvat.

6.2 The Events of Version 6.1 “Song of the Welkin Moon” and the Extremity of Erosion (Facts Based on the Latest 2026 Lore)

In Act IV of the Archon Quest “An Elegy for Faded Moonlight” in Version 6.1 (Luna II) “Song of the Welkin Moon,” released in 2026, a decisive turning point arrived in Dainsleif’s story. As a fact, Rerir, the Rächer of Solnari who presides over death and one of the former Five Sinners, is heavily involved in this story. Rerir’s past (the existence of the woman he loved, Tholindis, and the reason he fell to become a Sinner) was uncovered through the intervention of the Fatui Harbinger Columbina, Nefer, and Grand Master Varka. Ultimately, Columbina gained immense power, defeated Rerir, and imprisoned him in another dimension. Amidst this world-shaking incident where a cornerstone of The Five Sinners crumbled, it was depicted that Dainsleif’s own “Erosion” is reaching a fatal stage. His memories have all but completely faded due to the curse of immortality and the erosion of time.

6.3 The Memory of the Inteyvat: The Extremity of Existential Sorrow (Speculation)

In the final moments of the “Travail” preview, and in the latest storyline where his Erosion progresses, the words he leaves behind are extremely private and poignant.

“My memory has all but faded completely… But I will always remember how much she too, loved these flowers.”

The driving force that allowed him to endure the corrosion of his body and the Erosion of his mind for over 500 years, continuing his solitary struggle even making enemies of both the gods and The Abyss, is not some grand ideology of world salvation. It comes down to an extremely personal emotion: a pure attachment to the “girl (or boy, The Sibling) he once traveled with” and nostalgia for the days they walked together.

Here lies the ultimate “existential sorrow” of the character known as Dainsleif. A man who gave up on both transcendent power (The Five Sinners) and the madness of reweaving the world (The Abyss), the only thing he held tightly onto until the very end at the brink of his ego’s collapse was the memory of a single, cold “Inteyvat,” the national flower of Khaenri’ah.

6.4 Continuing to Witness the “Final Destination of Fate”: The Final Trial for the Traveler (Concluding Speculation)

What is the “final destination of fate” that Dainsleif continues to witness?

It is the moment when the circle of the Ouroboros, repeated beneath the “False Sky” of Teyvat, is completely destroyed by the hands of the “Traveler,” a Descender, or when it is reborn into a true starry sky.

Dainsleif himself cannot be the protagonist who saves the world. He is, to the end, one who bears the “past (Legacy of the Dead)” of Khaenri’ah, and a human bound within the Laws (the curse and Erosion) of Teyvat.

That is precisely why he foresees that in the final phase of the story, he will stand in the way of the Traveler as their final trial.

“Now, defeat me, command me to step aside, show me that you are worthier than I to rescue her. Then, the threads of all fate will be yours to re-weave.”

To rescue The Sibling tainted by the madness of The Abyss, shatter the rule of The Heavenly Principles, and transcend the false Laws of Teyvat, the Traveler must overcome Dainsleif, the “symbol of the past.” By being defeated, Dainsleif entrusts the right to re-weave fate to the Traveler, eagerly awaiting his own death (complete liberation from the curse).

Conclusion

According to the analysis and philosophical speculation of this article, Dainsleif is the “ultimate breakwater of history and memory” on the continent of Teyvat. Bearing the sins of the Crimson Moon Dynasty and the Eclipse Dynasty, and while tormented by the excruciating pain of the “Curse of Immortality” that corrodes his own flesh and blood, he never escaped into the transcendent madness like that of The Five Sinners, including his older brother Vedrfolnir. As the “Bough Keeper,” he resists the Erosion (oblivion) of The Heavenly Principles and continues to record the history of this absurd world exactly as it is.

The starry sky-like blue light he emits from his hand is neither a blessing of the gods (Vision) nor the corruption of the abyss (the power of The Abyss). It is the “existential extremity of human will” that manifests through a single human continuing to resist the massive system of Determinism. The conclusion he ultimately meets after confronting the Traveler may be a gruesome death or annihilation. However, that death itself will be the only salvation that severs the ring of the Ouroboros that has continued to bite its own tail for 500 years, liberating the man known as Dainsleif from the endless Twilight. Along with the memory of a single Inteyvat tightly grasped between his fingers, the causality of Teyvat’s old era will be settled, and the history of the true starry sky will raise its curtain.