“The capital of the Kingdom of Clover had been completely destroyed by the demonic forces, and all communications to the Eastern Continent had been severed.”

The scholars at the Academy of Diamond brought along the bone-chilling news that somehow managed to make the warm room freeze up even further. Rote sat in silence next to the baby who was busy chewing on his thumb, and he sat still like a statue. Snow rushed by the window like

Sweep sweep.

A old lady was walking around with a cleaning Cast as a broom moved back and forth along the floor automatically as she held her back, and it stopped just shy of Rote.

Sweep sweep. The broom protested again as the old lady muttered something in the local tongue before looking at him.

“Apologies, young man.” The old lady said with her slow tone, and Rote slowly turned to her as a flash of red glowed within his eyes. The lady was startled briefly, but Rote lifted his legs slowly and let the broom past.

Sweep sweep.

“Sigh…I suppose the War of the Third Millenia had finally begun…” The scholars murmured amongst one another, “We should prepare to receive more refugees…”

“But we don’t have an infinite amount of supplies here…Didn’t you hear what they said about the demonic forces…? They said they were unstoppable and completely overpowering! There's no point in fighting, and they simply slaughter anyone who resisted them!”

“Quiet down! Do you want there to be panic in this city too?!”

“They may have been handling the Kingdoms down south, but they have never faced the cold of the Diamond Kingdom…”

Turning his head stiffly, Rote grabbed onto the baby’s hand as he turned to look at him.

“What do you think we should do, little guy?” He asked as the baby simply continued chewing on his thumb before he kicked his leg against the basket, “Huh? Going further north? Sounds like a good idea.”

Eventually, they will run out of North. But if it's just the two of them, surely the demonic forces wouldn’t bother. Rote quickly thanked the Academy for their hospitality to his late wife, and he departed in the midst of the night.

The swarms of the demonic army soon arrived in the North, and they started to struggle against the natural cold as expected. The combined forces of whoever survived in the three Southern Kingdoms that got simultaneously attacked started to push back against the demonic forces one day at a time.

Since the start of the War, there was hope.

Then, the winter for the place that’s perpetually in winter was gone. It made no sense to those at the time, but winter was just…gone.

By the time Rote returned to the Northernmost town to grab his supplies in exchange for the woods he has chopped in the forests, the Diamond kingdom also fell. The end of this world was here, and there was no point in running anymore.

We have all heard about the stories of the Third’s venture through the demonic dimension by now, but that was when his legends started.

There was a rumor that an uprising was happening down South in the middle of enemy territory, where a group of rebels and survivors lead by a mythical man was fighting back against the invading forces.

They referred to themselves as the Obsidian Bulls, and they were picking up one small victory after another, inspiring more survivors to pick up arms, Casts, and whatever they can garner to fight.

“I am going down to help Obsidian Bulls of Hope! Who’s with me?!” One of the fiery teenagers said the next time Rote returned to the village, and the rest of the village youngings yelled all at the same time.

“You looked to be of fighting age…did you fight down there?” The old woman that he’s been trading with asked as she handed him a sack of root vegetables.

“I couldn’t. I am useless.” Rote shook his head, “I…there’s nothing I can do.”

“There’s always something you can do.” The woman smiled, “You cook one hell of a bean stew.”

Rote forced a smile, and he quickly turned around, wondering why his eyes were suddenly itching.

“Why are you suddenly asking me this now?” She asked, sitting in the chair back in their country home as the bump in her stomach had started to show.

“I…I heard about who you were when I was in the capital.” Rote said, his fist clenched at the side, “They said the daughter of the Silva family had been missing, and…you had their hair.”

“You got a problem with that?!”

“No…I…I don’t hate it…Of course not...” Rote shook his head, “It’s just…I am so useless in the Wave and compared to any of the royals that you know, I am useless…So…why do you go so far with me…?”

“Because I wanted to.” She said, standing up and walking towards Rote before she grabbed onto his hand and placed it over her stomach, “Can you feel it move?”

Rote’s eyes melted, and he knelt down before kissing her lightly on the belly, “Yeah.”

“Listen to me.” She said, placing her hands around his face and making him look at her, “You are not nobody, and you are certainly not useless…whoever said that to you will get a load of it from me.”

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“I can’t even stand up for myself as a man…” Rote sighed, “I…wish I am as powerful as you. Well…even half as powerful would be nice…”

“True power comes not from Wave abilities, but from that of the mind. Everyone will find their strength as powered by their own emotions eventually.” She reminded him before kissing him, “Now go make me a bean soup, peasant~”

“Yes, ma'am/” Rote said instinctively before throwing his hands up as she let out a guttural laugh, “ARGHH! I can’t even get into a fight with you! See? That’s what I am talking about?! So annoying!”

“You just love me too much~” She smirked before pecking him on the cheeks again as his face flushed with red, “But you’d never say that to me.”

“I…I just can’t! Okay?!” Rote stomped away angrily before making the best bean soup he’s made in recent times.

I just wish I could have told you how much I…love you…Why didn't I...why didn't I? Why was I so useless to the point of not even being able to do even that...Why am I the one who's living, out of everybody...If I had died instead, she would have taken so much better care of everything...of him...

Rote rattled awake from his sleep by the cries of the baby, and the empty cold he felt behind him tore away at his body before he forced himself to focus on the baby. He looked at the window where the harsh gusts had broken through, and the baby was clearly not appreciating the cold.

They can't stay here forever either.

Glancing out of the window in the direction of the South, Rote murmured while holding the shivering baby in his embrace, “I wonder if the obsidian bulls appreciated some bean stews…”

The journey down South was arduous, but for some reason, the demonic forces avoided the coastal regions during their conquests. Along the way, Rote joined up with the village’s teenagers, though they split up equally as quickly when they caught hints of the demonic forces moving up north, with the kids looking for a fight, and Rote just sprinting away in the opposite direction with all he can on his horse.

He never heard from them again. As he kept traveling down south, he didn’t encounter any more demonic forces until he crossed back into the border of what was once the Clover Kingdom.

As a land ravaged by constant war, countless fortresses and barriers had been set up along the kingdom’s destroyed middle regions where the Obsidian Bull’s forces had been establishing themselves, and the main demonic forces have been diverting their attention towards conquering the other kingdoms, thereby giving the Obsidian Bulls a chance to grow and consolidate their power.

With the outlines of the Obsidian Bull’s flag flying far out above the horizon, Rote let out sighs of relief as he rushed towards it. A structure Cast formed in front of the gates of the stronghold, and a massive scoop formed before it picked up Rote with the baby.

“Welcome back to the living world.” A soldier smiled as Rote dropped onto the ground with the baby in his embrace, “Welcome to the Obsidian Bulls.”

The War of the Third Millenia was the longest in duration out of the three wars so far, lasting a total of eighteen years. The demonic forces' initial advances were fierce and overwhelming, but as the humanoids of the Western continent regrouped around the experience of the Obsidian Bull’s combat tactics, as developed by the supposed Third Savior and the boy with the Anti-Wave, the humans of the Clover and Spade kingdoms, the woodland elves of the Heart kingdoms, and the mountain dwarfs of the Diamond kingdoms slowly started to push back against the interdimensional invaders.

As the groups of soldiers returned with one victory after another, Rote realized that coming down here was the right choice.

“Thanks, Mr Zorn!” The teenagers training in the courtyard all came into the dining room with their faces red and foreheads covered in sweat from their morning training, and they eagerly looked forward to what Zorn was cooking together.

“Do we have the tomato stew today?” Another asked, trying to peek over into the massive pot when Zorn covered it with the clay cover and smirked.

“Why don’t you tell me what’s in it?” He asked, quickly opening a gap to allow the aroma of the stew to leak out. The kid at the front sniffed as he drooled, clearly unable to think anymore.

“Tomatoes, leek, onion, ginger, and some deer meat.” A thin voice came from behind him, and Tali Zorn poked his head around.

“Of course you’d know!” One of the girls lightly pushed him from behind, “Mr Zorn must have told you in the morning!”

“Nope! My senses are just that good!” Tali smiled as he put his hands on his hips, and his face and especially confidence reminded Rote of Tali’s mother so much, especially with his mix of black and silver hair.

“I am jealous! Even the Third said you have the talent to become a general for him!” Another boy added.

“I…I will be supporting you when you become one!” A shy girl mustered up the courage to shout from the back, though she was ignored by Tali who was still enjoying his moment in the light all too well.

“How time’s flown, right, Mr Zorn?” A calm voice came from behind, and Rote turned to see the short man with bright grey hair and a black headband. He had a bright smile with him wherever he went, and a tiny black figurine of a demon slept quietly upon his shoulders.

“Indeed.” Zorn smiled before bowing, “Thank you for all you’ve done for us, Usta.”

“Thank me after this war is over.” Usta smiled before slapping Zorn on the shoulders, “Are you fine with your son fighting this battle?”

“I…would have been more protective…” Zorn lowered his head, “But in this day and age, the safest thing for him to do would be to become as strong as he can be.”

“And he has great potential.” Usta glanced towards the crowd of teenagers, “We are planning our final advance into the demonic dimension on the Eastern continent and to finish this war for good, and he will be of great help.”

“I am glad.” Zorn wiped away sweat around his forehead, “He really is like his incredible mother…Thank god that's he's not like me instead.”

"You are an incredible father too." Usta said firmly before picking up a bowl of stew for himself and leaving Zorn on his own.

The joint conquest into the demonic dimension soon happened as the combined army of one hundred thousand strong chased the remnants of the demonic forces through their portals that were supported by Through Space and Time.

And only one person returned.

Zorn was waiting for the triumphant news at the battleground alongside the rest of the supporting troops on the other side of the Portal when a blood-stained and distraught Usta flew straight through the portal with a darker swarm of armies behind him.

At that moment, everything in this world shattered around him.