My first attempt in writing anything, so any constructive critique would be appreciated. English is not my first language, so sorry for grammar. I also don't have a complete knowledge of RWBY or Arknights so I will try to read any lore corrections you may have.

(Patriot POV)

Cold… He could feel the biting cold on his skin, both familiar and somehow forgotten.

Wind… He could hear the strong northern wind blowing around him.

Weight… He could feel the heavy weight of his old power armor that was like a second skin to him.

The feeling of his heart beating steadily in his chest… His breathing, unobstructed by anything in who knows how many years…

He should have been dead, finally killed by his Infection, yet here he was, feeling all of this.

What has happened to me? Is this the Afterlife?

Slowly, he concentrated on the feeling of his body. He could freely move his limbs and feel himself lying on the ground. Carefully opening his eyes he could see the familiar gray winter sky above him through the lenses of his helmet.

"WhAt iS-?!" - He stopped abruptly after hearing his voice, which returned to its previous state before the Infection.

Why can I feel my body so clearly? It is as if… as if I am Uninfected…?

Shaking off his surprise, he rose from the ground and took a look around himself. A desolate cold tundra stretched as far as his eyes could see. Small bare trees and bushes could be seen here and there and gray sky was above him.

Just like the northern Ursus tundra… He silently mused to himself. Looking at the ground where he was moments ago, he saw his black halberd and giant shield with a bright orange Reunion symbol.

Memories flooded his mind: Chernobog, Lungmen, Talulah, Rhodes Island… his daughter, Yelena… Taking a deep breath and feeling the cold air in his lungs, he took his equipment in his arms, feeling the familiar weight. Observing his surroundings once more, he saw something lying in the bushes a couple hundred meters from him.

Deciding to look at what it is, he started slowly walking through the snow. Approaching closer he could clearly see several figures lying in the snow, however all of his thoughts stopped when he saw a small figure of Cautus girl with long silver hair. He gently took her in his arms and looked closer at her face, feeling the slow beating of her heart.

Impossible. It cannot be. It should not be possible!?

"Y-Yelena, m-my daughter…" She looked even younger than when he first met her as a child. Yet he was certain that it was her.

But how? Is this truly Afterlife? Do… Do I really have the chance to talk to her again…?

She was unconscious, but it was clear that she was still alive and breathing. Suddenly remembering the other figures that he saw lying in the snow, he looked at them with attention.

Faust… Mephisto… Skullshatterer and his sister… and...

Bending down again he carefully looked at the face of Elafia woman.

"Alina…" - He said somewhat somberly. She looked almost exactly as the last time he saw her, years ago before her death. The other Reunion leaders on the other hand looked a lot younger.

Why do they look so young..? Hmm… There are no external signs of the Infection, so perhaps they returned to their age before they became Infected?

Observing the slowly darkening skies, he, Patriot, decided to leave the questions for later and for now look for some form of shelter so that he could warm others until they woke up.

I can feel the cold around me, so even if it is Afterlife, I need to find a safe space for others.

—-

Several hours have passed since his awakening, and the sky turned completely dark. His fellow Reunion members were wrapped in his cloak for warmth as he carefully carried them in his arms.

Another striking detail that he observed while traversing the cold tundra was the moon, which sometimes could be seen in the small gaps between the clouds. Half of it was broken as if something burst through it.

I do not know if this is the afterlife, but this place certainly isn't anywhere on Terra.- He thought silently.

He could see some unfamiliar birds in the skies sometimes and clearly feel everything around himself like he was alive, which brought doubts about the nature of this place into his mind.

However his thinking was interrupted when he saw dark silhouettes some distance in front of him. Several pairs of red eyes shone in the darkness and five large animal shapes rushed towards him.

Quickly laying people in his on the ground, he brandished his halberd and shield, ready to face the unknown threat.

When these enemies came closer, he could clearly see their predatory form with black skin and white bone covering their heads and parts of the body. With their large saber-shaped canines, two closest to him immediately went for an attack, jumping at him from left and right.

Not losing the sight of three other beasts, he thrusted his halberd into the one on his right, while sending the one his left flying several dozen meters away from him with a powerful shield strike.

Feeling somehow more powerful than he could remember himself being, he used his halberd, which completely pierced the beast, to strike two other creatures in front of him with a powerful horizontal slash. The beasts, momentarily surprised by the quick reaction of the warrior, didn't have time to react and were cleaved right through.

The final beast roared with primal rage and too jumped to attack, but was instantly slammed into the ground by the heavy shield with a loud crack of its bones.

Taking a careful look around him, Patriot saw that all of these creatures were killed, while their bodies started to dissipate into a black smoke.

Strange. I have never seen such creatures before… Perhaps they are some variety of demons? But if so, it is strange that they could be killed so easily…

Continuing to observe his surroundings, he noted the faint dark red glow emanating from himself and his equipment.

What is this? It doesn't seem to be any sort of Arts as far as I know, yet I can clearly feel myself being stronger… It is as if there is some kind of energy inside my body… Hmm, I seem to not feel the cold anymore, so perhaps it defends me in some way…?

There were a lot of new questions forming in his mind, however he was forced to leave them for now as many more beats like he slain earlier started to gather some distance from him, watching with hateful crimson eyes.

Perhaps I can understand this new energy better while in combat… - He thought calmly, while thrusting his shield in the ground behind him to protect his still unconscious companions.

Readying his halberd, he waited for the beasts to make the first turn.