Winter Nights Exhibition Hall: Frontier Memoirs

Expeditioner's Joklumarkar: Winter Nights Exhibition Hall
Expeditioner Interviews	Frontier Memoirs	Nordroenn Beats	Simulacra Exhibition

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A list of Frontier Memoirs content in Expeditioner's Joklumarkar's Winter Nights Exhibition Hall.

To Talk with the Mountains

Main article: Expeditioner's Joklumarkar/Endings/To Talk with the Mountains

#1: View Enter the "Crossing Sami's Arm" Prophecy and complete the run with the To Talk with the Mountains ending

Maryam returned to Rhine Lab HQ a few months ago. His appearance in Trimounts is such a rare occurrence that when he walks through the corridor to Control's office, most people only recognize him through the characteristic sound of his cane tapping the ground. In this regard, electronic equipment has an advantage. The ID card that had travelled the entire length of Terra immediately identifies its bearer as Mr. Andenate Maryam, who has an appointment with Control. As usual, Rhine Lab's Control sits before her console, eyes fixated on a model on the monitor and hardly reacting to her visitor. With one hand she gestures for Maryam to sit down, while with the other hand she flicks across the panel, causing the ideas of countless Rhine Lab scholars to flash across her display. Maryam wordlessly puts down the application files for the survey project and remains standing before her desk. He prefers the feeling of standing on real terra firma to any futuristic aesthetics or ergonomic designs. "The Infy Icefield?" Kristen finally picks up the application. "Fifteen members. The largest polar survey to date." "Our accumulated experience and the facilities at the base station are sufficient to support an expansion in our survey activities. Many mysteries still lie hidden in the endless icefield, and it's time we discovered them." Getting a meeting with Control was not an easy thing these days. Maryam knew that her trips away from HQ have become more frequent and longer in duration. Maintenance staff at the Scientific Investigation Section reported that she had quietly visited many remote survey locations before spending long periods at the location of the underground signal near Trimounts. He had a hunch that she had already found what she asked him to look for, back at that party. But her ambition was not his concern. He was here because every survey project in the Scientific Investigation Section had Control's signature on it. "Would you not go if no one agreed with you?" Kristen suddenly asked. The Kuranta, never one to be verbose, snorted. The answer was obvious. Even if there were no mission, no recognition, Maryam the explorer would continue to walk towards the unknown horizon on his own, cane in hand. "I believe we can get closer to the end of the Infy Icefield," he said, pointing to the application. "Infy Icefield... yes, Infy Icefield. "The continuation of one of your survey projects, a partial answer to your spirit of exploration—I met God, you know. As close to omniscient as you can get, Maryam. "He told me things about the end of the icefield that I thought I should share with you." ...... Jon frantically jots down notes, while Sophie compares previous data on the icefields to the visitor's statements. The research station's life support system runs without a hitch, providing heat and clean water to this rare glut of visitors. After a few hours of conversation, the members of the research team begin to accept that the Sarkaz visitor was who she claimed to be—a Cyclops who lived in seclusion in the northern mountains of Sami. One with the gift of foresight. Prophet or not, her information was detailed and accurate. She would make a good guide. "On behalf of Rhine Lab's Scientific Investigation Section, I hereby express our interest in working with you," said Maryam, who had remained silent up to this point. "I have just one question." "Go ahead." "You claim you need to work with outsiders because you saw what lay deep within the icefields. Have you ever reached the end of the icefields?" "I can tell you of the dangers I have foreseen." Foreseen. Maryam mused upon the word. Prophet. Omniscient. He laughed, something that was decidedly out of character for him. "This isn't the first time someone's tried to tell me what the end of the endless icefield looks like. "But don't bother. Let's see it for ourselves."

#2: Sunrise Choose "Proceed" in the "Crossing Sami's Arm" Prophecy and complete the run with the To Talk with the Mountains ending

The explorers embark on the return journey. Sami no longer denies their passage, but the encounters and events along the way have all but exhausted their supplies. All of them wish to take just one step further, but all of them know it would be one step too far. It is time to return to the south, resupply, research, request funding. The team will not head north again until all is ready. Some have already started calculating the cost-benefit analysis of the expedition on the way. Personnel, equipment, supplies... all necessary losses in exploration. Discovery of new species, documentation of phenomena, publishing an account of the journey... all potential gains from the expedition that may ensure that there is a next one. Most importantly— As "southerners," they have earned the goodwill of the Sami people. In the past, they could not expect any assistance from Sami barbari—er, friends from Sami. They would count themselves lucky simply not to be on the receiving end of their axes and arrows. But they have made enough trips into Sami and the icefields. There is no reason for humans to senselessly fight other humans. You trade rations for weapons. I trade medicine for new things from the outside. Some explorers end up staying behind at Sami camps, facilitating communications and trade with the natives. Few would admit that they had fallen head over heels for a certain pretty (or handsome) Sami. Some young warriors, tired of life in the villages, join the research teams as guides and bodyguards. The walls of prejudice give way as exchange became more frequent, and the two sides begin to learn from and understand each other. Sami or Columbian, they all have one head, two hands, two feet. Most of the time. Maybe the occasional tail. This time, the Sami hold a feast to see their explorer friends off on their journey home. A bonfire is lit under the clan tree, and Sami and outlander alike sing and dance around the fire. Wooden puppets furiously spin the hand-powered generators, supplying power to the countless lights hung everywhere. Fowlbeasts and drones dance in the sky together, to the tune of Sami hunting songs. With the clan tree's permission, the tribe's Snowpriest hangs a great disco ball on the branches, and raises their scepter to call down lightning. After a few moments of crackling, the disco ball begins to fill the space with enchanting, colorful lights. Magallan cuddles up in a blanket, telling stories of her travels to fascinated Sami girls in fluent Sami. Instant noodles float in wooden bowls, while the Sami girls eat their porridge from plastic and stainless steel bowls. The revelers share food and stories. For some reason, the scene reminds Magallan of a bonfire party on the school lawn, a long time ago. The people care nothing for complicated matters, like who is Columbian and who is Sarkaz. There are no goals, no ideals. Enjoy the moment. That is all it takes. Magallan finds herself relaxing for the first time in a while. She curls up and drifts into dream, as the other girls continue to chitter and chatter. The other girls lay her on the ground, cover her with a blanket, pull the door sheet down, and silently leave the tent. As the last girl leaves, she hangs a dreamcatcher on the tent's beam. Tonight's noise will not interfere with Magallan's sweet dream. ...... She wakes up to find that a new day has come. She opens the tent's door, and the morning rays rush in. The sun is rising in the distance. Most of the others still slumber in their tents, last night's revelry having taken its toll. Magallan walks up to the cliff and looks up at the rising sun. Exploration never stops at exploration. Magallan knew that. Why, then? A hunter who had risen early walks up to Magallan, asks to sit with her to watch the sunrise together, and Magallan assents. She passes a gummy with colorful packaging to the hunter, who takes the candy and begins digging in her own pocket to find something. She eventually finds a piece of jerky shaped like a branch, and gives it to Magallan. Magallan thanks her and accepts. The two chew on their respective prizes for a while, as they savor the sun's journey into the heavens together.

#3: Indistinct Earth Complete 5 runs with the To Talk with the Mountains ending

Magallan is walking along the plains spread across the subterranean realm. The land is vast, yet few know of the wonders here beneath the surface. Three days ago, she rappelled down one of the deep holes found across Sami, trying to discover the secrets within the "scars of the earth." In her investigations, she finds plants attached to the rock wall as well as slimy secretions, increasing in frequency as she descends further. Past a certain depth, the plants and secretions fill virtually the entire space. But Magallan finds a way to keep going down, down, down. Searching in the vegetation, reaching out in the darkness. Finally, her hand finds wet, slippery rock. She has reached the deepest part of the hole. This place is like an ethereal paradise, the mist veiling everything that the light touches. The earth below and the rocks around are damp, but the air feels slightly dry. It feels less like Sami than a forest in Victoria or Leithanien. Magallan checks the equipment that she brought. All instruments are silent, and her other equipment is less responsive than it should be. She must light a torch and proceed in the darkness. ...... It hardly feels like she is underground. She might as well not be, except for the solid rock where the sky ought to be. Moss and lichen have thoroughly covered the few fallen rocks. Plants the likes of which Magallan has never seen grow in abundance. Their fruits look tasty, but eating them is a risk that she will not take while she still has rations with her. There are even streams and rivers in this underground space. Real water, no different from above ground. It is cold and sweet, with a flavor that Magallan cannot describe. Ancient? Lost? Or— Magallan savors it again. It is the sound of silence. It is a soundless lament. Magallan follows the water and finds a cave at the end. Magallan follows the cave and finds a regularly blinking light at the exit. Attached to the cave, it spreads out far and wide, branching and blinking constantly. But the light in the middle is the brightest. Magallan follows the light. She does not know how much time has passed. Time no longer seems important. ...... She has already cast aside all her gear. She holds a single walking stick in her hand, and her long hair hangs down. She has not started a fire for a long time, for the rock wall continues to provide light from time to time. Rations have long since run out, replaced by fruit and spring water. She keeps walking, walking, accompanied by her most loyal companion. Passion for exploration. The thirst for knowledge. Finally, Magallan finds herself at the end of the road. There is a great tree there, not unlike the clan trees that Magallan has seen before. It is wrapped in an oval membrane that expands and contracts. Each cycle sends a ripple into the darkness in the distance. That light led Magallan here. The end of an exploration, a journey for knowledge. Magallan decides to seek her reward in the most primitive way. She reaches out and touches the membrane. It throbs powerfully and repels her hand. A light shoots out towards the distance from the rock wall above, splitting and glowing like stars in the night. Magallan thinks. She puts her hand to her chest. She feels her heartbeat and that of the tree. She understands now. It is no plant. It is the heart of Sami. She has walked across Sami's spine, challenged Sami's will. She has descended into Sami's scar, and wandered inside Sami's body. Through Sami's bones, following the lights of Sami's neural network. Sami forgives her intrusion. It has shown her Its scars and vulnerability, as a gift to the explorer. No one knew of Sami's pain, until now. Compassion from a kindly spirit gives comfort to Its tired soul. Magallan turns around and finds the rope she came down from. All she needs to do is tie it around her, tug on it, and she will return to the surface. Or... Magallan keeps walking. The wall at the end of the road. There are symbols there, which Magallan has seen on sculptures. Sami's message. A message of concern, not for Sami Itself, but for Magallan. The path ahead will not be so smooth. But she keeps walking. Past the illusion of the end, past Sami's mirages, from light into darkness. Sami does not understand. Sami is silent. Magallan keeps walking. She wants to reach Sami's brain, understand the source of Sami's memories and emotions. She wants to learn about Sami. She wants to understand Sami.

The following pertains to a subject that is not yet released in the Global server of Arknights.

#4: 如同星辰 Destroy all Silvernwhite Bulwarks in Lofty Silverfrost/Deep Ice Sculpture and complete the run with the To Talk with the Mountains ending

向前走。 无人机在操控下安静平稳地运转着。岩层结构被击碎，麦哲伦缓慢而谨慎地采集起露出完整根系的植物，然后回收龙腾无人机，将模块一一拆卸。 完成标本采集后，麦哲伦拿出录音笔。 这是联合科考队进入萨米的第...... 她迟迟没有开口。因非冰原的科考热潮已经持续多年，麦哲伦跟随科考队，自萨米进入冰原的次数已经难以计数。人类对冰原的了解初步形成体系，她曾就读的大学邀请她返校授课，那里有无数双满怀期待与梦想的眼睛。在过去的许多个日夜里，她也已经尽力写下自己所见所知的一切，挑拣传承给未来探索者的知识。 她沉默了片刻，然后收起录音笔，转而开始对无人机做例行检查。在极端环境下长时间缺乏维护的无人机出现了部分元件磨损的情况，好在机械运作时并无故障，没有报警灯闪烁，也没有异常的嘀嘀声。 麦哲伦合上已有些许松脱的检查门，背着设备走出阴冷的岩洞。 山间的小径覆满积雪，黑色的雾气完全遮蔽了去路。麦哲伦在洞口停下脚步，犹豫了片刻，拿出辅助确认方位的指南针与气压测量仪。 她低头查看了一下指南针，随即在冰雪中艰难地抬起脚—— 向前走。 周遭寂静无声。 她孤独地走着，身边没有任何人。其他队员，包括那些愿意协助的萨米住民，都已经倒在了路上。 然而，即使他们在场，一定也认不出眼前的这位科考工作者。 黑色的融雪流向空中，封住了前方的道路，但麦哲伦只是视而不见地走向它。 ——在冬牙群山间的小径上移动的，只是一个形状扭曲的影子。由于重力混乱，仪器堆叠在它的形体上部。一路采集的生物标本扩展着它的轮廓，构成它的掠食行为。它的外形变化仿佛模拟着有节奏的脚步，而它在现实空间的位置不连贯地变化着。 影子毫无知觉地越过了障碍。 在漫长跋涉中腐朽的背带早已断裂，但直到此时，随身包才因为另一重力乱流而脱落。 探险家写给后继者的书稿就此掩埋在黑色的雪中。 书稿中夹着一封尚未寄出的真挚信件。 “我尝试着在回避根本原因的前提下，介绍了避免与坍缩体接触的种种方式，但我知道这些方法并非万全。我们积累了经验，对这些现象越来越了解，而坍缩也随之展示出更加多样的现象。它们永远不可能被完整记录。 “我们或许还没有做好认知这一切的准备。或许我们永远无法做好准备。 “但是我也知道，无论有没有警示，有多少危险，我们终究会——” 向前走。 即使手中那枚指南针无法指示出大地的北方。 圆盘的表面已经被泥泞的黑色封住，麦哲伦仿佛只是将它晃动了一下，令它短暂地折射出斑斓的色彩。 但麦哲伦的确在向北前进。 在结霜的陡峭岩壁与飘浮的黑雪之间，冰原已隐约可见。 它正从缝隙中透出一角银白的光芒，在黑暗里闪烁着。

Winterfall

Main article: Expeditioner's Joklumarkar/Endings/Winterfall

#1: Warriors Never Welcome Death Obtain the Treescar Helm and complete the run with the Winterfall ending

A procession marches on, to the sight of the gray dawn rising from the horizon of frozen soil. It is a tribe in the process of migrating to the south, escorted by warriors. Their steps are heavy, perhaps because of injury, illness, or weakness. The sound of footsteps fades into the snow. Even the wind is silent. A baby's crying echoes in the great wilderness. The leading Snowpriest slows his steps and turns around, as though spurred by the crying. The mountains are almost pitch black in the twilight. Through his helmet, he gazes backwards, towards their erstwhile home. Those in the procession follow suit, looking in the same direction as if they had been resisting the urge to for a long time. "Eikthyrnir." Someone whispers a reminder. The leading Snowpriest-warrior gathers his emotions and continues to lead the procession forward in silence. He clutches the Foldartal in his hands, and the tiny wooden board makes a little sound in his knuckles. Eikthyrnir is not prone to sentimentality. He has seen too many demon attacks and tribes forced to migrate. The conversations between the Snowpriests and Sami help the warriors of the north predict demon appearances, so that tribes may be moved away and troops mobilized. The All-Father has favored him, answering virtually any questions he had, but simply knowing the ill fate ahead of time is not always enough to avoid it. The exhausted pack following his warriors are just another group of survivors. Eikthyrnir rarely thinks of her, but she intrudes into his thoughts for no particular reason, along with the winding walls of the Fjal Vetrtonn and the charcoal marks on the wooden map. He can almost imagine her among this band of survivors, even though he has never seen a sight like that, nor was he part of her final rescue mission. The tribe walks without a word. No complaints, laments, or questions. It seems that they all knew this would happen to them, since long ago. The present is bearable, for death eventually comes to all, and they will return, unbound, to the demon-corrupted earth—the home that they were forced out of—and be reunited with their families and ancestors. But Eikthyrnir does not know—the one question Sami never answered: Is she still alive? Where is she? Even the most experienced channelers amongst the shamans could not divine the answer. As the calming herbs she had stuffed in his helmet wilt and fade away, Eikthyrnir begins to accept the inscrutable fate. He will never see her again, not even in the afterlife. Just like those warriors who never turned back in the face of demonic corruption. No one saw them again. He should reminiscence, but his burden is too heavy. He has no time. He will fight, be injured, recover, fight, avoid defeat, and survive. As long as one spark of life remains within him, her figure will continue to exist in his memory, and his shame and regret will keep it alive. The Sami walk on the frozen earth in silence, accepting their fate. Only the infant in her mother's embrace cries. The mother, who is a shaman, sings in a low voice to comfort her child. She has already removed her warrior's helmet, tying it to her bag. In it are some herbs and fruits. Eikthyrnir warms a little stone with Arts and puts it in the infant's tiny hands. The mother smiles, then looks at her daughter with grieving eyes. "I am sorry," she whispers. "For what?" "For bringing her into a Sami that does not know peace." Eikthyrnir remains silent for a while. "I am too," he answers.

#2: A Twisted Fate's Mockery Choose "Put on the helmet" in the "Crossing Sami's Arm" Prophecy and complete the run with the Winterfall ending

As soon as he heard the news, Eikthyrnir returned from the Fjal Vetrtonn to the Sami heartlands, in search of the black blade roaming the forests. Whether it was the machinations of the Ursus or if they had already paid the price for their arrogance, there was only one thing to do. All invaders must be expelled. It was not a matter of responsibility; the land of Sami was the home of the Sami people, and one needs no reason to defend one's home. But Eikthyrnir could not shake his uneasiness. It was not often that Eikthyrnir felt uneasy. He was not afraid of death, nor of the manifestations of fear that transcended death. Falling leaves tremble, wilted branches moan, and the wind brings soundless lament. Sami speaks, but Its words are swallowed by new holes. The fallen animals have no life in their eyes. Black blood convulses from their wounds, forcing its way out of the blood vessels and forming a stream on the muddy ground. Death becomes more concentrated as the warriors advance deeper into the forest. Streams converge into a river. Wilted leaves and branches obscure the sky above, but the river is filled with reflections of the stars in the sky. The air is cold and sticky, condensing the mist into a pallid shroud, welcoming the march of death. The flames that the Snowpriests call up flicker like candles in the wind. At the end of this baleful river, Eikthyrnir verifies the hypothesis he had formed over the past few days. The shaman of Colddeath is unrecognizable, but rumors from survey teams along the way and the results of numerous fruitless rituals by the Snowpriests point to the same conclusion: She is Santalla, or rather, she was. The blade's armor is scattered on the ground, surrounded by the black souls of the dead. Santalla put an end to the Demon's Blade at the foot of this great tree, but did not manage to destroy the death that it spread. The warped space no longer obeys the rules of reality. Black rivers slither and arise in the shadows of a new frozen monstrosity. They soon converge into tangible form, and sharp, black ice spikes hurl themselves towards the struggling warriors with impossible trajectories and unbelievable velocity. Eikthyrnir would not and need not show quarter. This was not the first time he or his fellow warriors executed a fellow Sami that had been taken, or purged the evil that defiled his kinsfolk. But gradually, the black curtain falls. The dissonance of countless deaths echoes amongst the living, and the warriors fall one by one, like trapped beasts in an arena. All they can manage is to end their lives with what strength they had left, so that what is left of them will not nourish the demons. As the last warrior falls, Eikthyrnir is left with no choice but to gamble. He attacks the wall of black rivers with all his strength. Eldritch hues leak from the crack, melting into colorful mud that sprays itself around unnaturally, accumulating and floating in the air. He runs until he reaches the frozen monstrosity, plunging his weapon deep into the calamity's physical form in an effort to stop it. All the demons freeze in place. Eikthyrnir has struck the core. All that was left was to use his Snowpriest powers to fold and seal it, and this demonic mire will not spill beyond the Sami heartlands. Then, the blade's armor on the ground begins to roll and leap, assembling a form that should not exist, black spear aimed at his back. There was no time. Eikthyrnir knew it was over for him. But the battle was not over yet. Colder than snow, harder than ice. Bone-chilling rime explodes from within the Snowpriest, covering even wilted black wood in a shell of white. After a few long seconds, there is neither Snowpriest, nor demon, nor life, nor death.

#3: Return from Exile Complete 5 runs with the Winterfall ending

Santalla knew this day could come. But she always thought Eikthyrnir was weak, too weak to look his own love in the eye, so weak that he must continue to reproach and punish himself with his wife's death. He was not someone unmoved by personal ties. He only chose to turn away, because he could not forgive himself for wavering. He learned to endure because of his weakness. He carried more and more on his shoulders, so that the souls of Man could rest in Sami's embrace rather than nourish the disaster. So that the young need not be born in darkness, nor abandoned in snow. He could not become a pure fighting machine, so he let the bonds he fought for bind him. Let them become his fuel, his strength, his ward, his curse. Curse. How could he have fought the increasingly frequent and dangerous disasters, if he did not carry such a great curse? But even the powerful Eikthyrnir fell. If there were any survivors left to tell of the battle, he would have said it was no different from any other. The warriors of the north had long fought foes such as these, but this time, there were too many, and too little margin for error. Santalla was not confident about such a heavy responsibility. The curse she bore was nothing compared to his. No Sami could claim to carry with them such love as to be equal to a curse. But Santalla is lucky. She bore witness to the unwavering will of Eikthyrnir and the others who fought to the death. She bore witness to the devotion to peering into the future, the determination of the eternal hunt, the thirst to see the unknown. She inherits all that was built and accumulated in the past, and she will carve out what needs to be faced and broken through. The outcast returns to her roots, resuming the ritual she had turned her back on many years ago under the watchful eye of Samivilinn. A new Snowpriest takes the vacant seat, a responsibility too heavy for anyone to bear. The powers that she must balance and make use of are more dangerous than any curse, but the daughter of the Santalla Tree has never known submission.

The following pertains to a subject that is not yet released in the Global server of Arknights.

#4: 生于枯树 Clear Sami's Entropy/Hollow Puppet without losing Life Points and complete the run with the Winterfall ending

战士走到树下，祈求庇护。 他放下一碗热茶，再放下自己的祭品。随后，他向树伸出手掌，平静地等待。如果厄运将至，树会向人们落下预言，但对于甘愿接受一切命运的萨米战士而言，自己离开树下的时候手心是不是空的，并不值得在意。 只是，映在他眼中的并不是一棵树。那是巨大的、伸展出无数枝桠的冰簇。它本能地生长成了寒檀木的形状。 曾经，冰簇的确拥有能够庇护众人的法术，呼啸的风雪筑成了战士们的阵线，维持着空间稳定。但现在它就如同枯死的树一样，耗尽了活力，剩下的只有缓慢融化的过程。 许多年前，一名雪祀用自己的生命完成了这一法术。血肉结为荆棘，生命织成坚冰，她就此扎根，希望“用死亡赋予生者生命”是存续的答案。 但是在战士的认知中，这里只有一棵值得祈祷的树。 战士长时间一动不动地站在那里，维持着向上伸出手掌的姿势，直到武器生出锈迹，皮甲潮湿腐朽。接着，确认了自己什么也没有得到之后，他俯身，双手伸进自己带来的祭品，开始食用已经与泥土同化的腐烂血肉——作为战斗前的必要准备，庄重仪式的一环。 只是，他并不知道自己的敌人究竟是什么，也不知道何为战斗。 ...... 在冰簇的体内，一片晶莹的源石注视着这一切。这是雪祀的躯体消解后残留的异物，她结晶化的“眼睛”。 它看见，自认为守卫着萨米家园的战士们，其实并不是萨米的孩子。最早，混沌的种子播撒在真正与邪魔对抗的萨米战士的思维之中，后来，触及灾异的一切生灵都被改写认知。 它看见，时间因度量者的改变而变得漫长，昼与夜被无法闭合的黑色裂隙模糊。 源石存在于整片大地，因此它得以看见，整片大地都覆盖着同样的影子。 人们必然遗忘雪祀的求索与悲愿，因为他们已经不能理解“存续”这一概念。存在被赋予了全新的形式，他们在近乎永恒的寂静之中游荡。 看见一切的源石眼睛既不思考，也不发送信息。 正如在如今的大地上，清除错乱的认知，既不可能，也无意义。 只有生命会不断追问可能性，追念着过去，追求着未来，对抗悠久的死寂与荒芜。 源石记录下了雪祀在最后一刻的自我质问：自己是否已经祈求了一切力量，用尽了一切手段？自己的族人还能去向何处？ 在只剩下空无的黑色大地上，冰簇孤独地垂下一滴泪。

Long into an Abyss

Main article: Expeditioner's Joklumarkar/Endings/Long into an Abyss

#1: Waterdrop Obtain the Routeweave Net and complete the run with the Long into an Abyss ending

Valarqvin meditates in the cave, oblivious to the passage of time. The sound of the wind and snow cannot reach her here. Other than her own heartbeat, breathing, and the blood pulsing through her veins, the only sound she hears is that of the mist condensing on the rock wall, slowly forming into dew. The foresight of the Cyclopes gazes only upon the future. The vision left behind by the Cyclops who became the King of Sarkaz a thousand years ago continues to be passed on through generations: The shadow will spread towards Terra from the end of the icefield. That which is real will collapse and shatter. There are no corpses upon the land, for the land itself is covered in void. At first, their kin who died on the journey to the north saw neither icefield nor demon for their entire lives. They passed on a prophecy they could not understand to their sons and daughters, like a blind man opening a coffin to sketch the face of the deceased as they lived. Now, the clan lives in the mountains, watching the icefields to the north as the nature of the vision is revealed along with that of the icefield's. It has not changed the duty of the Cyclopes. She... they are still waiting, waiting for the far future, the finish line of fate. Until then, her job is to delay its coming. Valarqvin's thoughts do not stop there. She sees herself extend an invitation to a group of southerners who approach the research station. As they speak, she foresees dead bodies strewn across the ground, their faces blurred, their laughter and mirth brought to an abrupt end. Leaving her holding a flower that should not exist, with an endless sea of flowers behind her. Even so, she chooses to shake the hand of the survey team's leader. She sees herself assist a few young shamans with whom she is acquainted, on their way towards the frontlines where the warriors are. As they share a treehouse, she sees a procession of warriors corrupted by demonic influence, a reckless campaign, and hunger in a snowstorm. Even so, she chooses to fulfill their fevered hopes. A plethora of thoughts pass, and she sees herself walk out of the cave with resolve. Finally, she realizes that she is, for once, reminiscing about the past. The foresight of the Cyclopes gazes only upon the future, but the myriad possibilities in the many visions eventually converge upon a single memory. She sees the black snow rise slowly into the sky, while she walks towards a child crouched by her family's bodies, weak and in despair. Fate is warning her. She foresees an unfamiliar icefield. The child has grown to adulthood, but as an unrecognizable, blurred silhouette, one that is being extinguished by her Arts. She foresees herself running away, but a black arrow pierces her chest and pins her to a tree. She foresees the child becoming her judge and executor. She foresees a wilting flower, a broken bow, and a piece of tattered clothing outside the door. She knows that all this pain is destined to occur. But she closes her eyes. All that's left are the painful, clenched, trembling sobs. She embraces the sobbing child. In her warm embrace, the child finally opens the floodgates, and a tear flows onto Valarqvin's collar. She opens her eyes, and a drop of dew had fallen onto her skin, still bearing the scent of the rock wall.

#2: Yearning Choose "Hold the altar flower" in the "Pessimist's Cage" Prophecy and complete the run with the Long into an Abyss ending

Amma has left. Typhon did not use the word "die." The souls of the dead still roam the land of Sami. It is only those who have left who never return. She went over hills and tundra and through Myrkwood, always with fear in her heart. What will become of Sami without Amma's protection? Will the forests wilt? Will the hornbeasts still find sanctuary? Will the snow that has not been stepped on by Amma never melt? Typhon found herself relieved when she saw that none of the sights had changed. The forests were still lush. Bubbling hot springs melted the nearby snow. The young hornbeast cuddles by her side, knowing that she harbored no ill intent towards it, and chewed on new leaves sprouting from the brush. Tired from the long journey, she almost falls asleep with the foal. When the foal closes its gentle eyes, however, she awakes with a start, remembering the white hornbeast that hardly ever opened its eyes, which no longer protected the souls of Sami. With unskilled warding Arts and arrows, she repels another shadow that had not yet grown into a threat, ensuring the safety of the foal. But the hornbeast did not know that Amma has left; it kept its old habits, sleeping in the shadow of the canopy without caution. Soon, Typhon realizes that no one knew that Amma has left, for Sami has not changed. Amma sacrificed Itself to protect the souls of Sami, and faded away forever, but those who It protected only think that they have not encountered It. Typhon rescues a tribe caught between hedges and warns them to be more careful, for Amma can no longer protect them. They answer, "Yes, Amma has many to care for. We cannot always expect to receive Its kindness. We must take care of our own children." Typhon calls out to a hunter in the woods, "You won't find the little snowballs that Amma left behind anymore!" But the hunter does not believe her, because those who sought Amma's affection were always the last to find it. Thinking about why the snowballs are not there is the reason why one does not find Amma's affection. The hunter smiles at the child, and tosses a little snowball towards her, landing at her feet. There is no one to say farewell to Amma with her, no one to prepare a funeral. How can she prove the melting snow that fell on her so long ago? Typhon's sorrow becomes anger, but there is nothing she can take it out on. She cannot blame people for living a quiet life, nor the forest for its greenness. Therefore, she continues to wander, doing her best to protect all of it. Until she encountered a Snowpriest. She tells the Snowpriest, out of habit, that Amma no longer protected them. The Snowpriest nods. This was the first time that someone listened to her. Finally finding an outlet, she pours out many stories about Amma, until there is nothing left to say. Then she mutters, "But all of this is no more." "No," answers the Snowpriest, who until now has listened with infinite patience. "Do you know why Amma remained in Sami?" "Remained?" "Amma and Its kind have never belonged to any land." "It stayed because of Its attachment to the land and souls of Sami." "But Amma is gone," Typhon says, even more anxious. "Has It merely left Sami? Does It not care for the land of Sami anymore?" "If you know where to look, child, Its love has never left." Typhon wants to ask more questions, but the Snowpriest has stood up. Their silhouette heads into Myrkwood, then seems to overlap with the shadow of an aged tree. Snow falls from the branches, and a black fowlbeast takes off from the shadows between tree and snow. Typhon runs towards the spot. The footprints end abruptly on empty ground, and the snow shines with the bright reflection of the light from the twin moons.

#3: Towards the Fated Shore Complete 5 runs with the Long Into an Abyss ending

Valarqvin stands calmly in thorns. Around the altar sit Snowpriests and Cyclopes. All turn towards her when she speaks. "I have brought what I saw from the end of the icefields." "Pray foresee... pass judgment." At first, she saw a great ring on the icefields, covered in silver frost, but it was no natural formation. She was not the only one who saw the vision. The Cyclopes shared knowledge, but it was silent, meaningless, inscrutable. Then, Valarqvin saw the demon emerge from the ring, just as foretold a thousand years ago. The Cyclopes learned that the object located at the end of the icefields was a gateway. But the icefields themselves were inhospitable to any living soul, except the disaster that had come into the world. A thousand years of observation could not provide an answer: What is it? It had no more emotion, no more thought, no more means of expression or communication than a natural phenomenon. In past records, they seemed to appear out of thin air, so why did they now use the ring as a gateway? The demonic threat to Sami was growing. Sami warriors and the Cyclopes each took action on their own. For an instant, Valarqvin gazed upon a vision the likes of which she had never seen. She did not tell anyone about the vision. For once, she had a clear vision of herself. More importantly, she saw that the ring before her was different. It reflected the starry sky like a mirror. In that instant, she decided that if she was destined to be there, that she would choose the cause herself. She would go before the ring to observe, and integrate all that she saw into the collective memory of the Sarkaz. She would supply knowledge for questions that could not be answered in the past, and she must know why the door would open when she arrives there. If she could arrive there, so could humanity. If there was a way to open the door, then humanity could pass through it. Destiny appeared as an ill fate, but it was not a dead end for humanity. She did not care whether it would be a dead end for herself. ...... But she survived. Back at Sami, she bids farewell to Typhon and the research team beneath the mountains, and tells her experience to the warriors of the north. Then, she tells it again to the assembled Snowpriests and Cyclopes. She is neither forgiven nor punished. After a long silence, one member of the assembly stands up, their voice echoing in the cavern. "If we must pass through the door, then at least one of the great enemies that wait yonder has been defeated." "We do not know if life and death apply to our enemy, but we know that a victory buys a period of peace for the land." "Observer, explorer, or survivor... this is our best chance."

The following pertains to a subject that is not yet released in the Global server of Arknights.

#4: 未完成的命运 Clear Gardener/Sentinel without letting any Operator on Seedbeds leave the map and complete the run with the Long into an Abyss ending

提丰摸了摸自己放在箭囊夹层里的一小块布料。人们从那个巨大圆环前带回了凛视遗留下的这一片衣摆，她习惯性地收在了箭囊里随身携带，就像许多年前安玛还在时自己会把小雪块装在那里面一样。 萨米的状况有所好转，她也受到当年一些巨构研究者的邀请，前往萨米之外的地区，“看看新型材料搭建出了多么漂亮的金属树木”。提丰不知道凛视算不算对此有所贡献，但出于怀念，她答应了。 数年前，凛视在一次巨构启动实验中牺牲。她如愿，或者说如命运所预示的那样，穿过圆环走进了那片幽深的黑暗，再也没有回来。研究者们告知当时并不在场的提丰，凛视进入巨构后，圆环中很快出现了坍缩体，伴随有大规模的空间撕裂现象，因此凛视很可能在门后遭遇了坍缩体的袭击。 ——他们没有给出可能性更高的那一种假说。依据现有理论，研究团队不得不消灭的那只高威胁坍缩体，极有可能是穿过巨构后存在状态发生改变的凛视本人。 “那次实验失败让所有人都很难受。”驶近城市的载具上，一位学者为提丰讲起那段在各方压力下保密了数年的研究经历，百感交集，“但她的确为我们带来了极为重要的观测数据，帮助我们验证了关于巨构的核心假说。所有人都敬她为我们的向导和先知，这也是启动实验中，我们相信她应该代表众人迈出最后一步的原因。也许我们该在什么地方用研究巨构获得的新型合金给她立一座雕像，但......” “但她不需要。”提丰平静地接过话，眼睛还盯着不远处的移动城市。 “是啊，她不需要。 “毕竟，我们现在的科技繁荣，以及更重要的，人类长久的安宁，都有她的功劳。” 启动实验出现事故后，重新稳定过的冰原实验基地内，不同领域的学者、不同种族的智者曾聚集在一张会议桌前。那是因坍缩的性质而无法广为传播，却静静地改变了人类命运的一次会议。 巨构修复期间，引发大范围坍缩的事故已不是第一次发生，而在这次会议上，要求停止巨构研究的声音第一次占据了上风。一方面，各领域的专家认为，人们已经对这一充满奥秘的建筑物尽其用，分析了它使用的每一种材料，考察了每一道痕迹可能代表的历史；另一方面，假说得到了验证，观测结果完全符合预期，人们已经能够理解这一巨型装置是如何造成了坍缩实体渗透至现实空间，并且从启动后的种种迹象大胆推测，这里或许是最初邪魔向现实空间发起战争的“大门”，而巨构带有的人造特征和附带的空间稳定装置，可能是前人与邪魔对抗过程中的智慧结晶。尽管这一推测有无法被论证的部分，但如今已经被相关研究者广泛接受。 因为人们再也没有机会去论证。 这次会议上，人们更重要的共识是，他们或许找到了安全拆除这一建筑而不加剧空间裂隙的方式。 这将是一个一劳永逸的方法。萨米人已经替整个泰拉跟邪魔战斗了一千年，现在或许是战争取得胜利的时候了。 随后数年，科考队报告的萨米地区坍缩现象的确逐渐减少，这也是提丰同意暂时离开萨米的原因。不过，直到今天，她才得知科考团队集体撤出无尽冰原的事件经过，以及冰原尽头那一圆环早已被拆除的事实。 她不喜欢这个事实。 “艾尔启眼中的命运不是这样的。她，还有老妈妈，绝对不是为了闭起眼睛不看艰险的命运而牺牲的。” “我们看到了，因此我们选择挑战它，否认它。” “可是，命运也是未来。艾尔启总说，一道门也是一只眼睛，人们能从那里看到更远的——” 话音未落，提丰猛地抬起头。 在她眼前，南方人的钢铁森林银光闪闪，她却感到自己的弓变得沉重。 ——没有什么一劳永逸，她的武器认出了自己的猎物。 “现在，我们被困在这里了。”

What Begins Follows What Ends

This section pertains to a subject that is not yet released in the Global server of Arknights.

#1: 暗处 Obtain the Horizon Invitation and complete the run with the What Begins Follows What Ends ending

特工转动旋钮，耳机中传来一阵嘈杂的人声。 “......我们已经从科考队的报告中取得了成果，接下来的事情也许该让军方知道了。这正是我的意思，我们之间的合作值得一个见证人......” 他正在监听几公里外高楼顶层空中花园内举办的一场酒会。在这座温暖的哥伦比亚城市里，酒会之上，被绿意环绕的参与者却无一例外，正谈论着遥远北方的冰原。 而他要做的，也正是向自己的雇主——置身酒会之中的某位科技集团代表及时汇报信息，帮助对方甄别合作对象，在冰原科考行动中攫取最大利益。 特工速记下关键信息，而后转动旋钮。 “......大自然并不贩售战争，克里夫先生。” “正是如此，把如何与异国同行相处这件事交给专业的人来处理，你那些野心勃勃的探索者就不会挑起额外的冲突......” 又是潦草的几行字。转动旋钮。 耳机中响起一段悠扬的乐声，监听器因为与特殊性质的源石技艺共振而传回一部分杂音信号。 “如果这些条件能换来您在‘坍缩’这一神秘领域的研究成果，我将不胜荣幸。您还有充足的考虑时间，在莱塔尼亚，我们的待客礼仪将是不劳您走出高塔上的房间。” 特工将速记内容汇成一则简短的讯息，发送给自己的雇主，随后继续在酒会中搜索。 他又识别出一个熟悉的声音。这个说话声通常伴随着矫健有力的脚步声，以前人们还能偶尔听到他在谈话中用一根材质独特的拐杖轻轻敲打地面的声音。 “谢谢，我没什么不适应的。 “野心家的酒会，也不过是这片大地上风土人情的一种。” “哈哈，马里亚姆先生......我们只是好奇，既然您出现在这里，是否说明莱茵生命探索冰原的脚步有所放缓？” “莱茵在北方冰原的探索项目，领导者并不是我。我出现在这里，只是为了让挡在我们去路上的人少一些。” “哈哈，那......说说你的那位学生吧......那位，薇......恩塔......” 通讯信号突然受到了严重的干扰，特工皱了皱眉，尝试调整设备。 但接下来的一整晚，他的耳机里只剩下单调的电流声。 ...... “我很想知道我们做的这些究竟有没有意义，Raidian。” 一名年轻的罗德岛干员蹲在大楼的过道里，小心处理着刚从刺客手中缴来的武器。 “阴谋蔓延得就跟天灾之后的源石晶簇一样快，就算在这里搞定了几个刺客和特工，外面也还有几百万个盯着冰原科考成果的家伙。说实话，我从小听着爷爷奶奶在战场上的故事长大，我不相信那些互相欠着血债的势力会愿意联合探索冰原。” “但，探索者们总是会往前走的。”他身边的精英干员回答道。 “我们所能做的，也只是让拦路的人少一些。对了，通道确认了吗？我们差不多可以递出邀请函了。”

#2: 推开门扉的前一夜 Choose "Present the Horizon Invitation" in the "Change" Encounter and complete the run with the What Begins Follows What Ends ending

参与巨构修复工程的人们在基地内注视着冰原尽头的夜色。最后一轮供能稳定性测试刚刚结束，一切顺利，凯尔希安排各工程组休息十二小时。 十二小时后，基地将首次正式启动巨构。 没有多少人真的能在这一时刻安然入睡，预备第一批穿过巨构的科考队员们更是如此——只有提丰真的就地钻进睡袋，但被麦哲伦叫了起来。 那道巨大的门背后也许是某种全新的空间，但更有可能是一片乏味的岩石与荒漠，一条有去无回的死路，一场以爆炸宣告失败的实验。探索者们早已习惯与未知同行，但也正因为他们仍会紧张，仍会期待，所以他们仍在探索。 透过巨构可能带来的崭新发现，麦哲伦能看到更多。为了避免一些纷争，首批科考队员的构成已经考虑了各方面的平衡，但后续的利益争夺——如果存在利益——则避无可避。 刚踏入冰原的时候，她还不会想到这些。 现在，她望着多年来协助自己进行冰原考察的朋友们，决定暂时将这些念头从探索者的背上再次卸下。 提丰将作为核心战斗人员，与另外两名雪祀一起，戒备科考队通过巨构后在异常环境中面对坍缩体的情况。寒檀则选择留在这片熟悉的寒冷土地上应对可能出现的事故，并等待见证萨米人与灾异斗争的结局，或者，一个新的开始。无论巨构给出怎样的信息，风雪都将带着它们吹往过去，穿过那封存了无数灵魂的坚冰。 独眼巨人依然注视着巨构。这一族群跨过千年的时间，终于触碰到了自己的预言。“命运到此处不是尽头。”凛视只是这么说。她一向这么说，麦哲伦无从推断她是否已经看见了巨构的另一端是什么。 而在指挥中心，一个少见的身影也独自伫立在观察窗前。 也许这是博士在冰原基地内极为难得的放松独处的时刻，但麦哲伦并没有多想，径直走到了博士身边。 罗德岛对巨构显然有所预期。“不过，博士，你期待的到底是什么呢？”麦哲伦问道。 博士予以沉默。 ...... 十二个小时后，一切准备就绪。 站在离巨构如此之近的地方，麦哲伦并不能看清它的全貌，只能看到虚影在不断流动。 她想起博士的回答。 “自己”。 人们能投向未知深渊的想象，只是自己的影子。 所以，穿过去吧。亲眼去看，去将未知变为已知，去寻找更多的可能性。 去寻找自己。

#3: 古老新生 Complete 5 runs with the What Begins Follows What Ends ending

麦哲伦从柔软的藤蔓里爬起来。 被这层韧性惊人的藤蔓接住的还有她所乘坐的、方才因受惊而狂奔的岩角兽，以及驾驭着岩角兽的萨米萨满。随行的木傀儡因为萨满一时没有维持住法术，现在正瘫坐在林间的空地上。 麦哲伦拨开遮蔽视线的灌木枝杈，接着便注意到，有人站在巨大的木傀儡面前，好奇地打量着。思索片刻后，那人伸手，小心地碰了碰傀儡垂下的手臂。 他刚一触碰，傀儡就以滑稽的姿势“哗啦啦”地起身，接着又摆出类似行礼的动作，但麦哲伦看不出那是哪个部族的礼节。 她以为那是萨满在向对方表示礼貌，可她转过头，却发现萨满的表情比她更加惊讶。傀儡没有受到法术操纵，只是自己动了起来。当陌生人注意到他们的时候，木傀儡与他甚至像镜像一样，同时转过头来。 麦哲伦推测脚下救命的藤蔓是对方用源石技艺编织而成，于是主动表示了感谢。对方友善地微笑着，却没有做出任何回答。 沉默持续了片刻，然后，他探询地望着麦哲伦和萨满，喉咙中发出一些音节。 二人犹豫地互相看了看。如果这是一种语言，显然他们都无法理解。 对方顿了一下，接着，使用的语言出现了变化。他似乎在耐心地尝试着自己所知的一切语言，像是某种试探，或者，某种历史变迁的证明。 蓦地，麦哲伦捕捉到几个相对更耳熟的音节，萨满也喃喃地重复了一遍那个词语。 似乎是为了再度确认，对方抬起手，令藤蔓组成形状。那是萨米显现在树木上的密文，他口中萨米语的含义。 “‘到来’。是的，到来。”萨满点头认可，期待这是对话的开始。 对方满意地露出笑容，但是，他没有再开口说话。 麦哲伦突然明白过来，对方并不是在寻找能与他们沟通的语言，而是在用语言的变迁定位他们究竟是谁。他对他人的好奇，就止于这个答案。 她的心中也随之有了一些猜想。 “那你呢？”她向对方追问，“你是谁？” 她相信对方能够用语言对话，但是，这个陌生人只是看向了巨大的木傀儡，然后再次向它伸手。 ——麦哲伦从好朋友缪尔赛思那里听说过，萨米的这一支精灵，千万年来始终生活在巨树的怀抱中。他们以独特的方式结成遗世独立的社群，研究自身的历史，直到答案变成谜题。 精灵开始令周身的植物生长。麦哲伦心想，或许他会像缪尔赛思那样做出一个流形，来表达对自我的认知。 他思考着。植物们首先结成一个屹立的人形，继而俯下身，仿佛野兽在用四足奔跑。细长的茎叶逐渐在空中组成更加复杂的图像，如万花筒一般变化着，令麦哲伦和萨满困惑却又赞叹不已。 而精灵仍在回溯着什么，寻找着什么。 最后，他望向一旁的岩角兽坐骑。 植物们慢慢地结成了一个极为古怪的形状。一个规整的，明显不是从大自然中诞生的形状。 精灵俯身，近乎虔诚地捧起一抔泥土，洒在他的植物身上。 “那是你熟悉的东西吗？”麦哲伦迟疑地问道，“那是什么？” 精灵什么也没有解释。 接着，藤蔓托起他小小的作品，送到了木傀儡宽大的手掌上。 精灵希望木傀儡带走它。 那是他的回答，还是他的赠礼？麦哲伦盯着傀儡的手思考。 毫无来由地，她突然觉得，举起手臂端着那个植物集合体的木傀儡，像一个拿着飞行器模型，假想它在空中飞来飞去的孩子。

#4: 未来之始 Clear The Sands of Time/Into Eternity after letting either Kharanduu Khan, Scourge of the Land or Lugalszargus, Lord of the Almanac into a Protection Objective and complete the run with the What Begins Follows What Ends ending

一个萨米部族正在族树前祭祀。 最初，萨米与人们定下誓言，第一批战士按照开裂的树木指引前往遥远而充满未知的北方。那时的萨米人还不知道那路途有多么遥远，因此战士迟迟不归时，萨满们举行仪式，试图与离开的战士们对话，询问他们什么时候才能回来，还能否遵守与萨米的承诺。 现在，“树痕”——这个常年驻守北方的部族已经知道，所有迟迟不归的战士都不会再回答，因为空无已经污染了他们的灵魂。但作为千年来传承的仪式的一部分，萨满们仍然低声询问：“我们能否遵守与萨米的承诺？” 部族的首领明白，萨满能预见的，只有永恒的战斗与注定的灭亡。对他来说，占卜与预言不能回答的问题太多太多。 因此，他在仪式中宣告：“先祖的英雄们，我遵从你们的智慧。” “占卜所不能预见的，我们将像你们一样亲眼去见证——并且去相信，相信我们的继承者会看到答案。” 一位君王自他黄金的王城眺望着远方，太阳如他的历法所规定的一样，与沙漏的最后一粒沙子同时落下。 远道而来的征服者已经逐渐接近王城，他的臣子不断谏言，反对他为自己和可汗准备的旷世一战。这位伟大的君主为萨尔贡带来了无与伦比的辉煌，萨尔贡的子民无法接受他可能的失败，和帝国的辉煌可能的折损。 但功业纵贯过去与未来的君王只是放声大笑。 “我已经发现了时间的真相，你们、乃至后世万代的人们，还有何惧？ “以我为榜样，效仿我的伟业，按照我的历法的刻度前行，未来不过如此而已。” 一个身影站在逐渐被寒风侵蚀的巨构前。它演算着关于这颗星球的可能性，星球上诸多生命存续的可能性，冰原环境逐渐恶化后，自己再次抵达这里的可能性。 直到它开始思考，自己思考这一切究竟有何意义。 已知的数据里，这一切都没有令人满意的答案，因此被命名为“凯尔希”的个体迈开步伐，走向漫长的时间，走向没有尽头的大地。 ...... 以建立在冰原巨构附近的基地为锚点，一支日渐壮大的研究团队正在尝试探索焚风热土，理解其中全新的坍缩现象——尤其是时间的异常表现形式。与此同时，由于探索者能够借助巨构逃脱焚风热土的影响，人们也回过头来进一步思考，自己所修复的这一建筑，究竟基于怎样的原理而运转，又具有怎样的潜能。 前所未见的现象刺激着天才们的头脑，人们不断提出和验证着颠覆现有认知、动摇学科基础的假说。 团队合作者中包括了一名代号“凛视”的萨卡兹独眼巨人，她同时也维持着研究团队与罗德岛的信息往来。 她总是保持沉默，但人们都相信，她正注视着未来，注视着命运。 而人类的命运，有无穷无尽的可能。