Inside the Sumeru rainforest—
The moment Rana felt the warm, heartbeat-like glow spreading from her chest, she froze.
Instinctively, she reached toward it.
But before her fingers could touch the light, it flowed into her palm as though it possessed a will of its own.
A few moments later, the radiance slowly faded.
Resting quietly in her hand...
Was an exquisitely crafted ornament.
"...This..."
Seeing what lay in her palm, Rana stood there in complete disbelief.
The familiar emblem of the Dendro element was unmistakable.
If this wasn't a Dendro Vision, what else could it possibly be?
But...
Wasn't this something only the future version of herself was supposed to obtain?
Why had she received one now?
Unless...
The moment she regained the memories of her past and reaffirmed her friendship with Aranara...
Her wish had been acknowledged by the gods.
"That's it!"
"That has to be it!"
Having convinced herself, Rana immediately turned toward the direction of the Sanctuary of Surasthana and respectfully bowed.
"Thank you, Little Lord Kusanali, for recognizing my wish!"
"I, Rana..."
"Will never forget Aranara again."
"I'll treasure our friendship for the rest of my life!"
To ordinary people...
A Vision was a divine gift bestowed by a god upon someone whose wish had earned their recognition.
So naturally, Rana believed this Dendro Vision had been granted by the Dendro Archon herself.
That the God of Wisdom had approved of her resolve.
Her heart overflowed with gratitude.
After finishing her bow...
She carefully fastened the Vision to her waist.
Earlier...
She had chosen to retreat because she feared being corrupted by the Withering.
But now...
Everything was different.
She possessed a Vision.
With the power bestowed upon her by the Dendro Archon...
She finally had enough strength to protect herself.
There was no reason to wait any longer.
She could finally go see Aranara.
Thinking of that...
She could barely contain her excitement.
"Aranara..."
"Wait for me."
"I'm coming!"
Grabbing the axe beside her, Rana immediately set off toward Vanarana.
Extraordinary Chat Group
Barbara: I've finally remembered a few more Aranara names after watching everything... Arama and Aranara... They really... sniff... (teary.jpg)
Ganyu: One became another Sarva Tree like Aramuhukunda five hundred years ago to suppress the Withering... while another sacrificed all of its memories just to save a friend...
Kamisato Ayaka: During the Utsava Festival, everyone was singing together so happily... Why... why did things have to end that way?
Hanachirusato:Arama... as we part today, who knows when we shall meet again? Like morning dew, I too shall vanish with the dawn...
Nilou: And when Aranara lost all of its memories... It forgot the Traveler... It even forgot Rana...
Navia: Then Rana finally learned the truth and blamed herself for forgetting her friend... She even asked whether Aranara hated her now...
Charlotte: ...Only for Aranara to answer...
"I don't remember anymore."
That scene...
Really shattered my heart.
Alice: Sometimes...
Forgetfulness hurts far more than any emotion.
The entire chat gradually fell silent.
It was true.
Every emotion relied on memory to exist.
Once memories disappeared...
So did those feelings.
Leaving behind only emptiness.
Just like Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
Then—
Venti: Ehe~ Everyone, don't be too sad. Arama remembered the Traveler in the end!
Venti:The forest will remember everything.
Zhongli: That may have been the greatest comfort in the original future...
"But now..."
"It doesn't have to be."
Makoto: Exactly.
Since the Light Screen has revealed everything...
We now have the opportunity to change it.
Let's start with a simple goal.
Prevent Rana from ever being corrupted by the Withering.
Ei: If Rana remains safe...
Aranara won't need to sacrifice its memories.
The two friends can truly reunite.
Nahida: Rana has probably already seen everything shown by the Light Screen.
I'm sure she'll learn from it.
Although...
Tighnari: Please leave it to us, Your Grace!
I'll immediately send Forest Rangers to make arrangements.
We absolutely won't allow that tragedy to happen again.
Paimon: Waaaah!
That's wonderful!
Then neither of them will lose their memories anymore!
Furina: Once Rana is safe...
The next priority is dealing with the Withering itself!
Neuvillette: That is ultimately a problem with Irminsul.
If Irminsul is healed...
The Withering will cease expanding.
Arama will never have to sacrifice itself to suppress its source.
Lumine: We can do it!
We definitely can!
I don't want the forest to merely remember everything!
Just like those people who say...
"A life full of regrets is a complete life."
Heh.
That's only because they have no way of changing the past.
If they truly had that chance...
Would they still choose to keep those regrets?
I only want these adorable Aranara...
To live happily.
To keep every precious memory.
Once the Withering is gone...
I'm definitely going to Vanarana.
I'll visit Aranara and Arama.
Hehe...
And I'll teach them that tongue twister!
After all...
It has quite a bit to do with them.
Nahida: Don't forget me~
I've never actually met them in person before.
They've worked so hard all this time...
Paimon: Me too! Me too!
Everyone blinked.
The tongue twister...
Had something to do with Aranara?
Then realization dawned.
"...Wait."
"Isn't 'Nara Rana'... literally Rana?"
Thinking back...
The Light Screen really had mentioned that the tongue twister concealed a beautiful story.
Now...
They finally understood.
It truly was...
A beautiful story.
Villa
Luo Chen smiled.
"Now that you've watched the video..."
"I believe everyone has a much deeper understanding of the Aranara."
"And also the meaning behind those words."
"Of course..."
"The version you just watched wasn't complete."
"I edited it for the sake of pacing."
"After today's livestream ends..."
"I'll upload the full version."
"Anyone who's interested can watch it then."
The audience's eyes immediately lit up.
They had noticed earlier that something felt slightly missing.
The story still flowed beautifully...
But it felt incomplete.
Now that the full version would be available...
They naturally intended to watch it.
Luo Chen continued.
"Very well."
"That concludes the serious review of both generations of Dendro Archons..."
"And the Aranara."
"Compared to previous nations..."
"There was considerably more material."
"Simply because they experienced so much more."
"When looking back upon all of their lives..."
"One word leaves the deepest impression."
"...Forgetfulness."
"Yes."
"Forgetfulness."
"Greater Lord Rukkhadevata created the rainforest."
"Twice eradicated catastrophic corruption."
"Even saved Teyvat itself."
"And yet..."
"In the end..."
"She was forgotten."
"Even the forest could no longer remember her."
"Then came Nahida."
"From the very day of her birth..."
"She was imprisoned within the Sanctuary of Surasthana."
"For five hundred years..."
"She was forgotten by her own people."
"As though she had never existed."
"And finally..."
"The Aranara."
"They sacrificed their memories to save both the world..."
"And those they cherished."
"Some became Sarva Trees."
"Others lost every memory they had."
"Although..."
"In another sense..."
"The forest remembered everything."
"I imagine..."
"Many of you have countless thoughts right now."
"You wish to say something..."
"But cannot find the words."
"If that's the case..."
"Then..."
"This next song..."
"Says everything that words cannot."
He clicked another video.
The title appeared.
Song — "I Never Forgot"
This was one of the most beloved fan songs ever created for Genshin Impact.
Performed by—
DunyarzadNahidaGreater Lord RukkhadevataThe Aranara Choir
Although originally composed as a tribute to Travelers...
Luo Chen felt...
Nothing could better conclude today's story.
Even if fate forced people to forget...
That didn't mean they had truly been forgotten.
So...
This song would become the perfect ending to today's review.
The audience became curious.
Songs had appeared before.
Mostly during comedic segments.
Like Keqing's My Grilled Offal...
Or Ganyu's I'm Really Not a Goat.
Very rarely...
Did one appear during a serious review.
Barbara's case had been unique because she was an idol.
But Nahida?
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata?
The Aranara?
None of them were singers.
Everyone wondered...
What kind of song could possibly fit this moment?
Soon—
The screen lit up.
The title appeared.
"I Never Forgot"
The opening scene showed Sumeru City beneath a golden sunset.
Birdsong echoed softly in the background.
Dunyarzad sat quietly upon a bench beside the road.
Eyes gently closed.
Head slightly tilted.
The scene was peaceful beyond words.
Then—
As though sensing someone's gaze—
She slowly opened her eyes.
Looking toward the viewer...
She froze.
Blinking once...
To make sure she wasn't imagining things...
Her eyes suddenly sparkled.
A warm smile bloomed across her face.
She happily waved toward the screen.
The scenery then shifted.
Everything became muted.
Gray.
Dunyarzad walked slowly through the empty landscape.
Then...
Her singing began.
"My little wooden box..."
"Is filled with withered flowers."
"There's no room left..."
"For sunlight..."
"For earth..."
"Or brand-new wishes..."
"If only I could fly..."
"To somewhere high above..."
"I'd weave a net from dreams..."
"To gather every echo of love..."
As gentle humming followed...
The gray world slowly filled with color.
Golden grass appeared.
Tiny sprouts emerged.
Then—
A small figure quietly appeared behind Dunyarzad.
Nahida.
Her singing softly joined in.
"Can you hear it too?"
"Lonely child..."
"Don't be afraid..."
"The night won't last forever..."
"The flower growing on the cliff..."
"Allow me to pick it for you..."
"With every falling petal..."
"One more sorrow disappears..."
Then Dunyarzad sang once more.
"Grass and stones..."
"Have no mouths..."
"So they can never lie..."
"The wind whispered..."
"That a ray of light..."
"Had fallen..."
"Upon my shoulder..."
The scenery changed again.
Now they stood within the rainforest.
Aranara surrounded Nahida.
Some sat happily atop her head.
Others danced around both girls.
Pink flower petals drifted through the sunset.
The atmosphere felt dreamlike.
Then...
The chorus arrived.
Not sung by Dunyarzad.
Nor Nahida.
But by countless children's voices.
Pure.
Clear.
Like the hearts of the Aranara.
"Was it you..."
"Who scattered moonlight..."
"Across the road home..."
"To make every flower bloom?"
"Was it you..."
"Who played those ancient melodies..."
"Driving nightmares away..."
"And lulling me to sleep?"
"Was it you..."
"Who wove the falling rain..."
"Into a blue roof above my head?"
"Let's promise..."
"When we've all grown up..."
"We'll meet again..."
"Even happier than today..."
Nahida smiled.
Dunyarzad smiled.
The Aranara happily placed flower crowns upon them.
The scenery shifted once more.
An open rainforest.
Falling petals.
Gentle grass.
The two girls continued walking.
Unlike before...
Their heads were no longer lowered.
They now walked proudly forward.
Nahida sang once again.
"A thousand nightmares..."
"For a thousand little thieves..."
"Would that be enough..."
"To steal away your sadness?"
"The moment we met..."
"Time itself turned upside down..."
"No need for promises..."
"We'll remember forever..."
The scenery briefly faded back into gray.
Dunyarzad softly sang.
"People say..."
"Growing up means forgetting fairy tales..."
"That waking means forgetting dreams..."
"Yet especially..."
"After rainy afternoons..."
"I still long..."
"To meet you again..."
The chorus returned.
The beautiful dreamscape reappeared.
The Aranara danced once more.
Then—
The song reached its true climax.
Everything became pure white.
Greater Lord Rukkhadevata appeared.
Hands gently clasped before her chest.
Her voice slowly echoed.
"Who crossed this sea of flowers..."
"Who walked quietly toward me..."
"Who still remembers..."
"The wish..."
"I never fulfilled..."
"Was it you..."
"Wearing a flower crown..."
"Holding the purest branch..."
Then came the most beautiful scene of all.
The rainforest.
Flower petals drifting endlessly.
Aranara flying happily at the front.
Dunyarzad followed while carrying one of them.
Nahida walked behind her...
Another Aranara happily perched atop her head.
Finally...
At the rear...
Walked Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
Village Chief Arakunti floated gently to her side.
Offering his Archon...
A single blooming Padisarah.
Then...
The children's chorus returned one final time.
Blessing everyone.
"Was it you..."
"Who tore away a piece of the rainbow..."
"To illuminate the flower inside my little box?"
"Was it you..."
"Who quietly disappeared..."
"Into the distant spring?"
"But I..."
"Remember everything about you..."
"I never forgot..."
"I never will..."
The song gradually faded.
One by one...
Everyone disappeared from the screen.
Until...
Only Greater Lord Rukkhadevata remained.
She smiled gently toward the audience.
Then slowly closed her eyes.
Softly raised her hand.
And waved goodbye.
Farewell.
The video came to an end.
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