Randy sighed as he got out of the car and observed the setting sun. His wife had told him to not be so late every time he came back. Though to be honest she more like commanded him.

Randy knew he had broken that command and so had brought the necessary tribute. It was a box of chocolates and some flowers. Along with some basic groceries that he knew they had run out of. He slowly opened the door of his house.

Carrying the varied products. The creak of the door alerted his children, Jessie and Chrock to his presence. They were both twelve, yet bulldozed him like twenty-year-olds. Hitting with a force he could barely take.

He knew it came from their mother's side.

His wife Mary came from the kitchen behind them, strutting her stuff. Her appearance and clothes looked like any other normal Birthed. But the patterns on her skin gave it away that she was Vat-Born. Or more accurately part Vat-Born.

She had come from The Second Roman Empire as a refugee during the thirtieth-year of the war. She had been three years old at the time. And he had been three. Her family had traveled all the way to Texas to find work. And there was plenty to be had.

America had some strict Vat-Born population control regulations. With only a handful of unmatured Vat-Born being allowed every year. When compared to the billions of soldiers being made daily in Europe.

Mary had taken a degree in engineering and had been pursuing a new modification to an engine while Randy had been making modifications to some basic cars. They had met each other by coincidence when Mary had come looking at cars to see what vehicle could handle her new engine.

They had chatted for a bit. They saw each other a couple more times, they began to date. And he proposed to her.

It had been very sweet, and while his parents were a bit old-school when it came to who he should marry they quickly changed their tune when his children came around.

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Part Vat-Born or not they were going to spoil them rotten. They had even convinced their small suburban community to not hold such prejudice to the Vat-Born anymore.

After all, they were very similar when one looked past the flesh and blood.

Mary's disapproving glare shortened at the sweets and flowers he brought her. Her sweet tooth allowed her to change her opinion on the fly if satisfied. And dandelions were always her favorite.

Mary sighed at the groceries he brought and walked back towards the kitchen. Not to cook, the time she did they had to call in SWAT for its removal. No, he cooked, he had to when his wife was so bad at it.

He put on his apron and threw himself into cooking a very simple Chicken Salad with some classic Roman spice thrown into the mix.

The food was delicious, his children laughed and then sat to watch TV. Mary had already told him they had finished their work, she then went to their bedroom to finish up on her new prototype engine she was working on. Commissioned by the government no less.

He smiled as his kids both watched Billy the Banderino till nine o'clock before he turned the TV off and tucked them into bed.

He then went back and turned it on again, this time to the news. And on the advancement of the War.

"With all other things out of the way, we will tell what has happened in Europe. The Russians have toppled the Eastern Front, with no sign of stopping their new advance. Germany backs down there while in Britain bombs continue to drop without delay, and in Italy, the Romans push and take the last Dotted Isle. Wait hold on! Breaking News! Reports of massive monsters have been seen on the Russian Front.

Pillars of Flesh and pain and bone unravel at the seem in this video one of our many brave reporters recovered in the fighting."

It then turned to a black and white film, showing a massive pillar of bone and sinew coiling in the sky. A massive flower blooming overhead, cloaked in a crimson cowl of blood and gore.

It screamed overhead, it's voice revealing thousands of orphans and soldiers alike being tortured without reason.

Iron shells and German mechs, nowhere near as massive though, crawled forward with nothing but steel and courage.

The video cut out after a flash happened just a meter away from the fighting. The newsman came back on.

"Whatever that was, the Russian advance has stopped. Was it enough to take the Germans out? Or have they only increased the fervor and rage they feel? Tom, what are your feelings on this image?"

They continued to talk but Randy just looked at the TV silently. He ran through the image, he couldn't get it out of his mind. That was what the Russians did!?

This war was mad. These people were mad.

Just What sort of Madness was This?