Author's Note: A big thanks to @uhlan303 for helping me make the scene.

The rooftops shook as a UH-60X of the Ukrainian Air Force hovered above a rendezvous point.

The pilot, recently promoted Lieutenant Alexei Witkowski, was drinking coffee from his canteen as he looked out the windows of the Black Hawk, his eyes scanning the rooftops of the slums. It was evening, so he had about 20 minutes before nightfall. Nevertheless, he was ordered to fly with his copilot into contested airspace, hover above a certain location for 30 minutes, and wait for rendezvous with someone. Who that was, he did not know. All he knew, if the remnants of the Cross Army that didn't surrendered attacked, they'll think twice before approaching the helicopter. The UH-60X was a modified version of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter designed for special operations, particularly stealth and low-visibility missions, but this one is armed with a M230 Cannon 30 mm (30×113 mm) retractable chain gun that in an emergency, could be used to clear an LZ or in the role of light troop support.

"Command, this is 6-1, I see no movement anywhere. Is it confirmed that some is coming, over?" The radio went silent as he waited for a response.

"Affirmative, Uniform 6-1, just wait, they're coming."

Alexei kept turning the chain gun's FLIR, looking for any signs of movement. Suddenly, off in the distance, he saw a flash of gunfire. He zoomed in and saw an approaching vehicle, with a soldier in the back, and a woman dressed in a North Korean uniform driving. He turned the Black Hawk ever so slightly so that the chaingun was aimed at the horde of Cross Army knights headed towards them. The man in the back of the truck, also dressed in a North Korean Uniform, was firing his RPK downrange. A few cross army knights fell, but other than that, the rest kept coming.

An arrow from one of them struck the man in the throat. His eyes widened, and he came tumbling off the side of the car. Alexei winced, and pulled down the cockpit-mounted goggles for the chaingun. It unfolded from below the helicopter, and aimed into the crowd of knights. "This is Super 6-1, Master Arm On." He squeezed the trigger, and a stream of 30mm rounds ripped towards the oncoming crowd. They tore through eight men, and when those deaths didn't faze the crowd, he gave four more an express ticket to meet god. Finally, the truck came to a stop, and he allowed his co-pilot to let it hover as he disembarked with his CAR-15. He aimed downrange, and fired, the ageing carbine doing it's job, despite being twice as old as him.

Soon, the driver came running. It was a woman wearing the tabs of a North Korean Lieutenant Colonel, her face a mask of tiredness and confusion. Probably from the whole North Korea coming to this world.

She had short black tomboyish hair, medium sized breasts, and green eyes. The green eyes is probably a side effect of her and maybe her entire infantry company being placed at the wrong area when North Korea came to the new world.

She ran the last few meters towards the helicopter, panting from a mix of adrenaline and strain. "GET ON! GET THE FUCK ON!" Alexei yelled, holding his CAR-15 in his left as he waved her towards him. The horde of various members of the Cross Army advanced even further, and off in the distance, he swore he could've seen a dozen or so brandishing guns.

Actual.

Fucking.

Guns.

In this case, this was bad. He thought that the best weapon the Cross Army had in their arsenal were their mages, but he was wrong. Very, very wrong. Once he made sure that the North Korean was on board, he slowly walked backwards, popped off a few more shots, and got back on the helicopter. "Get us out of here, Melnyk!" He said as he slipped into the pilot seat. The helicopter lifted off, the prop wash blowing some men off their feet. It turned, and flew off towards the base.

The city's alleyways and copy-paste buildings stretched for miles, making Alexei's head spin. He looked away, keeping his eyes on his instruments. He looked back to the shaken North Korean, and after looking at her, tapped his headset to indicate that she should put on the ones on the wall. "Are you alright?" Alexei asked, his eyes moving from the instrument panel to the altimeter readout as the dusk stretched into night. He looked over to his copilot, and switched back to their one-on-one frequency. "NODs on, Melnyk. Don't want to crash into an building." They both did so, the darkness soon turning a bright green hue as the night vision goggles powered up. Earlier, the EMP had completely fried everything and it was very hard to replace night vision helmets, so they had to rely on two GPNVGs that were pulled out of storage.

He switched back to the North Korean. "Are you alright there, Colonel?"

She responded to his earlier question shakily, nodding. "Yes, I am fine. I hope you don't crash, since the city is... urban and strange as hell."

Alexei chuckled, looking down over the passing rooftops. "Well, I've been in worse. This bird here had taken a beating during the insurgency in Mogoditshane. We lost three helicopters and dozens of men. As a matter of fact, the rotor was replaced once because some Rambo wannabe tried to shoot us down with an RPG."

The North Korean nodded, smiling shakily as she took her helmet off. "You're sure something like this wouldn't happen?"

Alexei laughed, tilting the stick so that the helicopter took a left turn over the city. "Well, I've seen some of the Cross Army knights walking about with stolen guns, but I've yet to see a Stinger, let alone an RPG." Alexei turned to her, cocking his head. "Say, I haven't gotten your name. Where are my manners, after all. My name is Leytenant (Lieutenant) Alexei Witkowski, this is my co-pilot, Kazik Melnyk." Their passenger turned her headset back on, blurting out her answer.

"Lieutenant Colonel Kim Kyung-Ja. North Korean Ground Forces."

Alexei nodded, "Lieutenant Colonel, huh? You look young for one."

Kim blushed, shaking her head. "I'm 26. I blame that on being part of a Party elite family. Too many responsibilities I can't handle."

Alexei nodded knowingly, checking the city's rooftops again. "I get where you're coming from. My CO wanted to bump me two ranks above my current one, but I refused as that meant I would be a desk jockey for the rest of my career."

Unbeknownst to them, the aforementioned "Stolen RPG" was real. Earlier that day, the Cross Army had stolen a cache of RPG-7s, and had trained their Mages how to operate them. The mages were instructed to cast a spell that gave them the ability to aim with remarkable accuracy, and unfortunately for Alexei, one such mage was tracking him.

His co-pilot looked out the window, his eyes widening beneath the GPNVG. "THREE GUYS WITH RPGS, COMING UP ON MY SIDE, NOW!"

Too late. The mage pressed the trigger, triggering the propellant in the RPG round. The rocket sped out, striking the tail rotor, shaking the entire airframe. Kim managed just barely in time to grab a handle, bracing herself as the helicopter spun wildly out of control. Alexei wrestled with the controls, desperately trying to auto rotate. "STAY WITH IT!" He yelled to his co-pilot. He switched to the secure line, contacting FOB Cresthill. "This is 6-1, I'm hit!"

The officer on the other line contacted the officer in charge, a Colonel, relaying the news to him as fast as possible. "Super 6-1 is hit, he is hit. Witkowski's bird is hit."

The helicopter continued spinning, the autorotation partially successful in making their landing much more comfortable. "Hey Melnyk, you wanna pull those PCLs off-line or what?!" Melnyk was already on it, disabling a few switches.

"Roger, they're off, Witko." The general comms for the troops camped out at the edge of the city filled with reports that a helicopter had been hit. A few closer to them even saw the silhouette of the damaged helicopter through their NODs, surprised by the occurrence.

"All units, all units, we've got a Black Hawk down, I say again, we've got a Black Hawk down."

As the helicopter got closer to the ground, it clipped a tall building's roof, sending debris tumbling out onto the city below. "HANG ON!" Alexei yelled, still keeping the stick tilted to the left. The Black Hawk came down hard, the wheels instantly snapping from the hard impact, the force of it bending the tail off at the base. The impact had also made the headrest of Melnyk's seat slam full force against the poor co-pilot's neck, snapping it upon impact. The helicopter tilted a bit, the main rotor's blades digging into the ground and promptly snapping off. It came to a stop in the middle of an open marketplace, the few civilians quickly dispersing.

"Get me whoever is in the city. I don't care if they're American, Russian, Japanese, U.R.K, SU, Ukrainian, or Chinese. I want my pilots out of that hellhole, NOW!" The Colonel barked into the phone, putting his head in his hands.

On the ground, Alexei came to, looking over to his co-pilot, and noticing that his neck was bent at an odd angle. He looked behind him, saw that Kim was fine, but still, he went to his co-pilot's limp body, unstrapping him as to not leave him in such a deplorable state. He grabbed his CAR-15 off of the underseat rack, pulled six mags out, and grabbed the second one, giving it to Kim, as well as the mags for it. "Kazik's gone. I'll be outside." He climbed out, and encountered the advance scouts of the Cross Army's Knights. He raised his CAR-15 just as one of them noticed him, and fired two rounds, the man's limp body crumpling to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

He heard more yelling further right, and swung the CAR-15 around, lining up the red dot with the forms of three more men. The rounds dropped two men, crippled another, evident by him crawling away. He was soon joined by Kim, who also started firing the CAR-15 that Alexei had given her. She rested her thumb on the forward assist, and tried firing it. Nothing. Alexei looked over to her, pointing frantically at the charging handle. "Pull it back, but don't waste your ammo. Don't snatch the trigger. Breathe, squeeze, kill. Over and over." With that he went back to shooting, taking cover multiple times from the attempts of mages to blow them out of cover, or the regular soldiers firing their stolen rifles and machine guns at them wildly.

There were more and more Cross Army men here, and they were drawing too close for comfort. Alexei reached down into the cockpit, yanking his radio out. "This is Super 6-1, I have a Broken Arrow, I say again, Broken Arrow! We are being overrun! Requesting a danger close in front of the crash site, over!"

The radio crackled to life, the Colonel's voice on the other end. "Witkowski, roger that. Air support is on the way. How is Melnyk and the passenger?"

Alexei winced, responding seconds later. "Melnyk is 200, me and the passenger are 300."

The colonel swore silently, his face red from stress. "Alright, here's what I want you to do. Stay at the crash site, QRF will be here in 30 minutes."

Alexei swore, but cleared his throat to speak. "Sir, with all due respect, we don't have 30 minutes. Those bastards will have our heads on stakes and our tongues lolling out in Colombian neckties by the time QRF gets here."

The colonel nodded on the other end, motioning for his adjutant to contact a QRF, so that they tried getting there as fast as possible. "Witkowski, listen to me. Please try to hang on for as long as possible. Godspeed, Lieutenant. Out."

Alexei banged his fist on the crumpled helicopter door, the sharp cracks from his and Kim's CAR-15s echoing through the market plaza. Suddenly, a bullet whizzed by, striking him in the left shoulder. He yelled out, stumbling slightly, making Kim look at him with a worried expression. He motioned for her to go back to firing, his face contorted in pain. "KEEP FIRING!" He yelled, propping his rifle up on his injured arm as a makeshift stabilizer. He went back to firing too, though it took him twice as long to reload due to his injury.

He looked to Kim. Her hair was flying out in all directions, and her eyes were bloodshot from the gun smoke. Her cheeks had the telltale signs of tear tracks, probably from when they had been strafed. He himself looked terrible, his uniform a mess, and his helmet a broken mess of fiberglass and wires. He kept firing, and the enemy numbers seemed endless. It was a miracle that they weren't overwhelmed, yet. But their ammo isn't unlimitless. They had to conserve as much as they can.

After what felt an eternity, and after using their entire six magazines, Alexei and Kim stopped firing, their eyes wide. They had run out of ammo. Kim was the first to react, throwing her empty weapon to the ground, her breathing heavy. She sat down on the side of the helicopter, putting her head in her hands. Alexei did the same, taking his helmet off, and dropping his own empty CAR-15 and switching to his pistol. He was the only one who had brought a gun, but since his rifle was empty, he would have to wait for the Cross Army knights to get into knife range before firing.

It was only a matter of time.

Suddenly, an a Russian Mil Mi-28 Havoc attack helicopter, appeared from the darkness, firing off the cannon. The rounds and missiles tore apart the Cross Army knights, who were taken completely off guard. Alexei sighed, putting his head back against the side of the crashed helicopter, thanking the lord for their rescue. The helicopter hovered for a few more minutes, before turning to return to base.

Then, a Ukrainian Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine helicopter appeared. This one was an armed variant. Two more followed. Soon, the entire area was illuminated by the blinding floodlights from the three helicopters. The lead pilot turned his light off, and spoke into his mike, which translated his Ukrainian-accented English into the local language. He called out to the two. "Alexei Witkowski and passenger, this is Halya 2-1, I say again, this is Halya 2-1, the cavalry has arrived. Do you copy, over?" Alexei looked over, his eyes brightening, as he picked up the radio.

"Halya 2-1, Super 6-1 and passenger, I read you loud and clear. Requesting immediate extraction, over." Halya 2-1 laughed, his co-pilot also smiling.

"Copy, we'll land as fast as possible. Sit tight." They descended slowly, their rear doors sliding open. A total of ten Ukrainian Ground Forces soldiers dismounted, weapons drawn, and secured the area. Two went to Kazik's limp body, and placed a sheet over his corpse, carrying him back. A third went to Alexei, helping him stand up. He turned to the soldier who was helping him, nodding.

"Thanks for coming, comrade. Thought we were goners." The soldier laughed, looking over to his superior.

"My sergeant says to shut up and get on board." Alexei smiled, nodding.

Kim meanwhile was also highly confused about how she is seeing the Ukrainians after they and many other countries disappearing in 2031 on Earth. And the regular troops looked at her with extreme suspicion to seeing a North Korean (double agent). Remember how the special forces troops dressed as Cross Army knights were nearly shot on sight. Yeah...

A fourth soldier approached the group, his face serious. "Alright, we are ready for liftoff. Sergeant, tell your men to bring those bodies. We can't leave them here."

"Sir, yes sir." He turned to his squad. "You heard him, lads. Let's go." They nodded, and headed for the chopper, the engines roaring as the rotors got into gear.

Forty-five minutes of silent flying later, the three helos landed back at the base, and a medivac team was about to take Alexei to the hospital tent. But stopped as American, Chinese, South Korean, Russian, Canadian, and Japanese troops rushed in with weapons raised at seeing Kim and detaining her due to well... being a North korean. And for the fact that North Korea launched a ICBM at them.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing? Let her go!" Alexei yelled, struggling to get out of the medic's grip.

"Stand down, Lieutenant. We are taking her to be questioned. If she is a traitor or a mole, then we will take the appropriate action." The Chinese captain said, the other countries' representatives nodding.

Alexei shook his head, the medics now lifting him onto a stretcher.

Kim now hoped that her South Korean handler is still alive or her CIA handler is available. Because from the looks and reactions from the troops here, they are going to shoot her dead and bury her body where no one will find it.

But as soon as the Chinese captain and the others turned their backs to Alexei, he gave the medics a sign and they placed a oxygen mask on his face to knock him out.

Later on, Kim forced into an interrogation room by a squad of Japanese and South Korean troopers who had no love for North Korea. One of them punched her in the gut to force her to the floor. They kicked her while she was down.

"Why did you attack us? Did North Korea send you here?" The Japanese soldier demanded.

"No! I'm a double agent!" Kim said through tears.

"What?! Liar!" Another South Korean soldier shouted and grabbed her hair. "Why did you and your scumbag comrades attack us?!"

"I swear to you I'm a double agent for the CIA and ROK intelligence. My name is Kim Kyung-Ja. I was supposed to infiltrate the North Korean high command but the countries disappearing years ago that also brought us here had a different outcome."

The South Korean soldier and the rest looked at each other.

"Wait a moment. We'll see if this is true." He left the room.

After a few minutes, the interrogator came back. And along with him was the South Korean spy chief and a CIA agent.

"Tell us who you here." The CIA agent asked.

"My name is Kim Kyung-Ja. I'm a Lieutenant Colonel with the North Korean Army. And I was sent by my CIA and ROK intelligence handlers to infiltrate the North Korean High Command and relay info."

"And what info did you give them?" The South Korean spy chief asked.

"I was able to give them a list of all the NK officers, including the General Secretary, and the locations of all their military bases, weapons stockpiles, and launch sites."

"How do we know she's telling the truth?" The Japanese interrogator asked.

The CIA and South Korean intelligence agents both had a flash drive.

"We got the info from a source in North Korea before we came to this new world four years ago (the current year is 2035). It was confirmed as correct and accurate." The South Korean intelligence officer said.

"And the information matches what she said." The CIA officer said.

The South Korean intelligence and CIA officers both handed the drives to the interrogators.

"Alright. You can go." The Japanese officer said.

Kim left the room and saw Alexei.

"Thank you for saving me. If it wasn't for you, they would have shot me and buried me." Kim said.

"Don't thank me. Thank my medics." Alexei said.

"Well, I'll make sure to thank them too. But I think I'll be fine here." She said as she pulled up a chair and sat next to his bed.

"Oh right, North Korea is now under Russian, American, Japanese, and South Korean control. And I guess the Chinese too." Alexei said.

Kim nodded. "And I'm not in any danger here. So it's okay."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that." Alexei said.

He smiled. "Maybe this place won't be so bad after all."

Kim decided to turn on the radio to hear any news updates as Alexei slept.

The radio newsman was saying "This just in. North Korea is no more. The North Korean government has collapsed and the country is under joint Russian, American, Chinese, Japanese, and South Korean control. All members of the North Korean Communist Party have been arrested and will stand trial for war crimes."

Location: Forward Operations Base Cresthill – Debriefing Center
Time: 0137 Hours – Two Days After the Holy City's Fall
Status: Triage, interrogation, and restructuring in progress

The lights flickered above the corridor as a trio of UNE officers paced slowly toward the medical recovery bay. Their boots echoed across the scorched tile. Outside, the rumble of Chinooks and Russian transports continued on rotation, dropping off medical supplies, personnel, and containment gear. The smell of antiseptic barely masked the blood in the air.

Colonel James Rutherford, USMC, stopped at the window to Room 4-B. Behind the reinforced glass, Lt. Alexei Witkowski lay asleep, shoulder still wrapped in surgical gauze, IV dripping into a vein on his right hand. He was alive.

"Poor bastard's lucky," said Major Angela Rodin, Canadian Airborne, arms crossed. "Had to autorotate a crippled bird in the middle of a hot zone. The fact he walked away is damn near divine."

The third officer, Captain Cho Jae-Min of the ROK Special Forces, wasn't smiling. His eyes were fixed not on Alexei—but on the other occupant in the room.

Lieutenant Colonel Kim Kyung-Ja, former NK Ground Forces, now confirmed double agent, sat calmly in a chair beside the pilot, sipping a rationed bottle of Pocari Sweat like it was a fine wine.

"She's calm," Cho muttered. "Too calm."

"She cleared," Rodin replied flatly. "CIA and ROKNIS ran her against the files. Her record matches. Voiceprints, transcripts. Even the chain of intel from her handlers is marked 'highly actionable'. She delivered the goods—long before any of us showed up here."

Cho gave a slow nod. "She's still North Korean. We don't forget that easily."

"But she burned their generals. She risked execution daily and got us the full grid of their nuclear installations. And if what Intel says is true—she even tried to stop the missile launches before they could deploy," Rodin added. "If she hadn't slipped that USB to the CIA rep at Vladivostok... we wouldn't be here."

Rutherford spoke at last, voice low but decisive. "We use the tools we have, Major. She's one of them. And if she survives this... maybe she's something more than that."

Medical Recovery Room 4-B

Alexei stirred, his lips parting slightly in sleep. A soft murmur. Pain, perhaps. Or dreams of shattered rotors and burning marketplaces. But he didn't wake.

Kim exhaled slowly and adjusted the blanket over him. Her green eyes flicked to the radio on the wall, volume turned low. The broadcast was clear.

"—confirmed collapse of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Joint Allied Task Force has secured Pyongyang and Hamhung. Remaining military hardliners have been routed. Trials are expected to begin in Geneva. Former General Secretary Pak Mu-Jin is currently in custody."

"With the fall of Elysion and the decapitation of the Cross Army, the Allied forces have declared operational victory in the central zone. Rebuilding efforts are already underway."

Kim smiled faintly, leaning back in the chair.

"And in a surprising statement today, President Lincoln Clinton of the United States commended Lt. Col. Kim Kyung-Ja for her role in preventing the nuclear escalation. Quote: 'She chose truth over tyranny. Humanity over history. She is proof that courage has no borders.' End quote."

Her eyes shimmered. Not with pride. But with relief. The kind you only taste when you realize you won't die in a nameless hole for a nation that never cared for your breath in the first place.

Outside the base walls, the flag of the Unified Nations of Earth flew beside those of the Republic of Korea, Ukraine, the Russian Federation, Japan, Canada, and the United States.

The wind tugged at them gently, as dawn crept over the horizon.

The war was far from over. The fragments of the Cross Army still lurked in the mountains and forests, and dark things moved in the new world's shadows.

But for now, for just a moment—there was silence.

And in that silence...

...hope had a name.

Kim Kyung-Ja.

Once a shadow.
Now... a symbol.

Two Weeks Later
Location(s): Global Allied Territories – Post-War Reunions
Operation WRATH OF GODS: Aftermath

Towson Estate, Maryland, USA

Time: 0900 Hours
Status: Homecoming

The Towson Estate, once a quiet bastion in the Maryland countryside, now echoed with laughter, squeals, and the rapid patter of dozens of tiny bare feet across the polished stone floors.

The front gates opened slowly as the armored UNE transport rolled in. It barely stopped before the rear doors were flung open. Anthony Towson—blooded, battle-tested, tired but alive—stepped out with Martha at his side.

"...Daddy!!!"

A roar of squeals and shouting broke out as forty-two four-year-olds bolted from the house like a battalion of chibi rockets. Each wore a hand-painted shirt with their name scrawled in glitter, stickers, or dried pasta glued on from a recent arts & crafts binge. They mobbed Anthony like it was a royal return, arms raised.

"DADDY!!"
"PAPA!"
"BABA!"
"PAPAAA!!"

Anthony dropped to one knee, arms wide. "Alright, alright, all yuh little warlords, one at a time! Ow—no biting, no—VEM'S KIDS, THAT MEANS YOU!"

Martha stood behind him, arms crossed, unable to hide her smile. "Lord help the furniture..."

Behind her, the wives descended the marble steps in a radiant but chaotic cascade of diversity and curves.
Dar, barbarian tribeswoman, strode proudly with her son on her shoulders.
Miliy, short and wolfy, clutched one of her twin boys, snarling playfully at any kid trying to grab Anthony first.
Reata, the green-skinned, muscular orc, calmly held a sleepy boy in her arms while flexing to her daughters' cheers.
Flit sashayed forward with her long orange tail curling behind her, her five kittens in tow, some hanging off her hips like a jungle gym.
Farly swooped overhead before landing and chirping, both sons hugging her legs.
Vem emerged like a shadowy spider-goddess, her horde of daughters behind her like well-trained assassins in sundresses.
Yoa leaned against the archway, sleek, dark, and holding her dark-haired son who clung to her like a monkey.
Geert waddled up, ears perked and smug, her ten goblin babies bouncing around her like popcorn in a hot pan.
And last, Volet, the former princess, regal even in a t-shirt and leggings, gave Anthony a long kiss on the lips before saying simply, "Welcome home, my King."

Anthony was buried under 500 pounds of kid. "I need—air—send backup—"

Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

Kurono's Family home, Outskirts of the City

The Mao family home had not changed in 16 years.

The paper sliding doors opened, and Kurono stepped through in full formal suit. Mina walked beside him, her hand linked with his. Lily, Fiona, and several of their friends followed behind in respectful silence.

His younger now older sister stood there, mid-tea, the cup trembling in her hands.

"...K-Kurono...?" Her voice cracked.

His mother came next from the back garden—and dropped the watering pail.

"Impossible... we buried you..."

Kurono stepped forward, quietly removing his shoes. "I'm home."

His mother screamed, then ran, sobbing as she embraced him. "My boy—my boy!"

Lily and Fiona stepped back quietly, giving them space. Mina bowed respectfully, her eyes glossy.

Kurono hugged them both tightly. "I missed you... every damn day."

Kyiv, Ukraine – Kravchuk Residence

Mylia and Alita stood outside in the snow, each woman visibly pregnant and glowing with anticipation.

Then the rumble of a convoy—then silence. Then voices. Then him.

"Mylia!"
"Alita!"

Stepan and Artem ran toward them, each man dropping his gear the second they saw their wives. Mylia, wolf ears twitching, screamed joyfully as she caught Stepan mid-run. Artem did the same, lifting Alita off her feet.

The brothers held them as the cold wind blew, their foreheads pressed against the warm, rounded bellies of their unborn children.

"I promised I'd come back," Stepan whispered into her neck.

"You kept it," Mylia replied through tears.

Rawlins Estate, Montana, USA

Jacob stood silently at the gates, Edea at his side, looking out at the crowd assembled on the rolling plains of his family's estate.

Then came the stampede.

Dragon children with glowing eyes. Spiderling daughters with tiny clicking limbs. Mermaid toddlers in portable aqua pods. Human kids with mismatched eyes and hair colors from across the world.

Behind them, his nine wives—each unique, powerful, and stunning. The dragons roared, the mermaids sang, the spiders cheered, and the humans cried.

Edea leaned in and whispered, "Welcome home, Master Rawlins."

Jacob grinned and whispered back, "This place is going to need a new wing."

Kitsune Empire – Imperial Capital

The royal gates opened, and the people chanted in a storm of fireworks and confetti:

"LONG LIVE KING VINCENT!"

Vincent stepped down from his V-22 Osprey and took one look at the crowd... then at the nine-tailed blur charging straight for him.

Mizuki hit him like a freight train, full body, full chest, and full tails, hugging him so tight he actually stumbled.

"You better not be injured!" she hissed into his ear. "I felt something the second you got hit!"

"I'm fine—just a few bruises, babe!"

The crowd cheered louder as she kissed him hard.

"You're not sleeping alone tonight," she warned.

He smirked. "I didn't plan on it."

New York City, USA – Fernandes Residence, Queens

The door opened before David could even knock.

Sienna stood there, visibly pregnant and glowing. Her ears twitched once—then she screamed with joy.

"DAVID!"

He dropped his bag. She launched herself into his arms, pregnant belly and all.

"You're late."

"Had to kill a few demigods on the way," he said with a grin, pressing his forehead to hers.

She purred, her tail swaying slowly behind her.

"You're never leaving again."

"Wasn't planning on it."

Across the World

Some homes rang with joy.
Some with the sound of sobbing mothers accepting folded flags and ceremonial swords.
Lines of coffins wrapped in national banners were greeted with silence and honor.

For every joyful reunion, there was a bitter absence.

But the war was over.
The Cross Army had fallen.
And for the first time in years—

The world breathed.

And whispered:

"Welcome home."

One Week Later
Location: The White House, Washington D.C.
Time: 0900 Hours
Subject: Future Contingency Plans

The tension was palpable in the grand, marble-walled conference room of the White House. The atmosphere was somber, but there was a renewed sense of determination among the world leaders who had come together to discuss the future of Earth, and the fate of their respective peoples.

President Lincoln Clinton sat at the head of the long oak table, his brow furrowed as he looked over the room filled with global and demi-human leaders, each one weighed down by the recent costs of war. The faces around the table were a mix of somber reflection and fierce resolve, some still processing the aftermath of the EMP, the losses of thousands of lives, and the wreckage left in the wake of their victory.

With him were his counterparts from across the world:

President Victor Gorbachev of the Unified States of Russia (USR), a man whose face carried the burden of countless years in service, now hardened by war.

Madame President Xiang Meilan of the United Provinces of China (UPC), her sharp eyes flicking over the faces in the room, calculating every decision.

Queen Mizuki of the Kitsune Empire, her nine tails draped around her waist as her golden eyes flickered with ancient wisdom.

Katherine R. Brussett, the representative of the Soronox Union, a nation formed by a fusion of many races who had survived the past wars.

Queen Flair of the Dragon Kingdom, regal in posture, yet weary from the damage to her people.

Queen Laura Kaufman of the Bali Kingdom, the Head Mage, whose ethereal appearance belied the centuries of wisdom and grief she carried.

Queen Farly, the leader of the Harpy Kingdom, her wings tightly wrapped around her frame, showing signs of fatigue but also resolute strength.

Queen Loa of the Lamia Kingdom, her serpentine tail coiled in rest, but her expression determined.

The Vampire Queen, a creature of darkness whose centuries-long life had seen both the rise and fall of civilizations, and who now looked to secure the future for her people.

The Goblin King and his queen, their small stature belying the power they wielded over their nation.

King Bartholomus, leader of the Orc Tribes, standing tall and stern, his eyes constantly scanning the room with an air of cautious anticipation.

Prime Minister of the United Races Kingdom (U.R.K.), a demi-human Lizardman, representing the vast and diverse mix of species within his realm.

The Cyclops King, towering above everyone, his one eye gleaming with the intensity of the decisions they were about to make.

The meeting had been set in motion due to the aftermath of the war and the brutal costs. The EMP strike that had crippled magical abilities across the nations was still fresh in their minds. The cost of lives, especially from the fairies and witches who had been grounded by the loss of their flying abilities, was staggering. Yet, the real challenge lay ahead—keeping their newfound peace from falling apart.

Lincoln clinked his pen on the table, signaling the start of the meeting.

"Everyone, I appreciate your presence here today. We've all been through hell, and we've lost a lot of good people. But, we've also won. We've dealt Raphael and Azazel a blow they'll never recover from. The Cross Army is finished."

He glanced around the room. "But the future... the future is uncertain. We don't know what's coming next. The EMP effect devastated us all. We've lost technology, magic, and, in some cases, entire fleets of troops. We need to prepare for what comes next."

There was a murmur of agreement around the table. The leaders knew that the Cross Army had been the tip of the iceberg. There were other factions in this huge world—other armies and threats that might rise to take advantage of their weakened state.

Mizuki was the first to speak, her voice smooth but firm. "What happened with the EMP was catastrophic, but I believe it's something we can recover from. The dragons are grounded, yes, but our warriors are still here. We've seen what the humans and demi-humans can do when we come together."

"The damage is not just physical," added Victor Gorbachev, his tone somber. "The magic... It's not just the fairy wings that are broken. We're dealing with a massive psychological blow to our people. The EMP was not just an attack on our technology—it was an assault on everything we knew about ourselves."

Xiang Meilan nodded in agreement, her face hard. "But now we need to think beyond the here and now. The war has taken its toll on our societies. We have to rebuild, yes, but we also need to make sure that this doesn't happen again. We cannot let our guard down."

Lincoln rubbed his glasses, his mind racing. "We need to prepare for new threats. The Cross Army isn't the only one out there. We need a new, united defense plan. A global coalition, one that can respond quickly to any new adversary. And we need to do it together."

Queen Laura Kaufman, who had been silent up until now, spoke. "We've seen the effects of the EMP. But we also know that magic, while a powerful tool, is not the only weapon at our disposal. We must consider the possibility that our enemies will evolve their strategies. We need more than just military might. We need intelligence."

"The problem," said King Bartholomus, his voice booming, "is that we can't afford to focus on one enemy. If we concentrate on one front, we risk another attack elsewhere. We need to bolster our borders, sure, but we also need a diplomatic network that can respond to threats without resorting to war."

Prime Minister of U.R.K. shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "We must also address internal divisions. The United Races Kingdom has always stood by the principle of diversity. But we need to foster unity. If we do not act quickly to heal our wounds, the divisions between our races may grow deeper."

"We'll have to deal with that later," Lincoln replied. "The first step is fortifying our defenses, keeping communication lines open, and ensuring that our military and intelligence networks are in place. We can't afford another surprise attack."

Queen Loa, who had been absent from many of the earlier conversations, now spoke softly but resolutely. "We also need to ensure that our alliances remain strong. If the past year has shown us anything, it's that old animosities are not so easily forgotten. We need to build trust with each other. And we need to make sure that any future threats know that we stand together."

Queen Flair of the Dragon Kingdom leaned forward, her voice strong. "The dragons might have been grounded, but the enemy has yet to realize what happens when we rise again."

There was a deep silence after that. Each leader knew the implications of her words.

Lincoln nodded slowly, the weight of the responsibility resting heavily on his shoulders. "So, we agree. The first steps are as follows: Strengthen our military, invest in new technology, increase our intelligence capabilities, and make sure our alliances stay solid."

Victor sighed, rubbing his temples. "I'm in. We can begin working on the military strategies, but we need to think about the civilians too. We need a recovery plan that focuses on people."

"Agreed," said Madame Xiang. "We'll need to provide support to those most affected by the EMP and the war itself. If we don't rebuild the hearts of our nations, then we've won nothing."

The table fell into a brief, reflective silence before Lincoln broke it, his voice firm once more.

"Alright. We've got work to do. We can't let this happen again. Let's set a course for a future that's united, strong, and ready to face anything. No more surprises."

The heads of state nodded solemnly, and for the first time in a long while, there was a sense of unified purpose in the room.

The war was over. But the next battle was about to begin.

End of Chapter 69