Hello! This is not a regular fanfiction. This is my attempt to turn the lore of Arknights into a novel that can be more easily read. I know that I am not the first one to do this, and I am not trying to 1-up anyone, this is just something I have wanted to do for a while now. So here's my take! Most of the dialogue will be kept the same from the game, and I will use my imagination to help paint the gaps. The only times I will modify the existing dialogue is to fix any translation errors, or to make a sentence more powerful or concise as I see fit. Now obviously I don't want this to be a lazy copy and paste of the game's story, so I will do my best to make this feel like a new experience by adding aspects to the story that will hopefully enhance your enjoyment. I will not make any edits to the plot, so don't worry about me trying to ship characters from the story! I am trying to make this a faithful expansion of the story before the anime comes out. I am starting out with the intro scene from when you first open the game as a test to see if anyone will be interested in this. If you enjoy this, please let me know! I will happily hear any suggestions anyone has for how I should approach this rather difficult task.

Prologue

"Oh, it's you." A disembodied voice calls out from the dark, disturbing the sound of your heartbeat. Your mind is clouded, and you do not know where you are. Before the voice spoke out to you, you had no idea you were even alive. Suddenly, the darkness is flushed away as a blinding light takes over your vision. You are suddenly aware that this is the first time you have seen more than just black in a very long time. As the brightness of the light begins to subside, it gives way to a sight that makes your mind swirl in confused recognition. Before you stands a girl, and before her is a monstrous storm.

…Catastrophe…

The word cannot leave your mind as you begin to lose yourself in the swirling winds of this terrifying calamity. Your thoughts turn dark as the storm destroys everything in its path. It cares not for whom it slays, nor for the lives of others it has ruined. Suddenly, a great eye opens.

It sees you. The REAL you. Try as you might, you cannot hide from its piercing gaze. The great beast has found you, and it begins to close the gap between you with tremendous speed. With every second it travels dozens of meters, and with each meter comes a horrific specter. The ghosts know you, but you do not know them. They speak no words, yet you hear them calling out to you to join them.

This is what I deserve

Everything was for nothing

I cannot escape

I cannot hide

I am doomed

I-

"It's been a long time since we last met, are you doing well?" The voice calls out once more, breaking you from your trance.

You are safe. The storm has not moved. There is no eye. There are no ghosts. You release the breath you didn't know you were holding and fall to your knees.

"During this time…. you've been….. wandering… at the edge of the cliff…" The voice continues, seemingly unfazed by your breakdown.

You lift your head to gaze up once more at the storm, but this time your sight is drawn back to the girl you had barely noticed the first time. Once again, that feeling of recognition works its way back into your soul. You know her. But from where? Her brown hair and long, pointed ears bring you comfort. Maybe if you could just see her face, you would remember her, but she is facing away from you, looking at the same storm that had terrified you only moments before. All you can see is her black and blue cloak framed against the monstrosity outside.

You then realize that the voice that is speaking to you does not belong to the girl watching the storm through the window. You do not know how you know this, nor do you know who the voice belongs to; yet the voice too draws in feelings of distant recognition.

"Perhaps, you have forgotten who you are. But at least you still remember that name, don't you?"

No, I don't!

You feel frustrated. No matter how hard you rack your brain, you cannot remember anything. Not your name, not the name of the girl or the voice speaking to you. You cannot remember why the ghosts in the storm called out to you. You try to call out to the voice, to tell it that you can't, but no sound emerges from your mouth. Uncaring of your feeble attempt to speak, the voice goes on.

"Never mind that now. You are not my guest, and you shouldn't be here."

Your heart weighs heavy with the knowledge that you have no answers.

"She still needs you" The voice echoes around you, and you begin to panic.

You realize that the girl in front of you is standing so still as she watches the catastrophe. You realize that she could be attacked by the storm the same way you were. The sudden need to protect her fills every corner of your soul as you try to call out to her. But of course, she does not hear you. You try to claw your way to her, but no matter how hard you try, she is never any closer. Who will protect her from the eye of the storm, and the evils that follow it?

"December the 23rd… do you know what that date means to you?" The voice asks.

No, and I don't care!

Despite the futility, you still try to close the gap between you and the girl. For her sake, you cannot leave her alone any longer. She needs you if she is ever to face the storm.

"If you've forgotten…. I can let you recall it." The voice states; your desperate struggle having no sway over it.

You still don't know what the voice is talking about, but in this moment it matters not. All you care about is saving her. You search your memories for her name, but you have no memories. All you have are little whispers, mocking your pathetic existence. They know you, but you do not know them.

The sound of your heartbeat grows louder and louder, drawing out any attempts you make to call out to the girl. Then, it all goes dark once more.