Anna

“Woo—rumble, rumble—”

Amidst the shrill blast of the whistle, the steam train returning from the Black City to the various tribes arrived at the station.

Blowing the whistle and applying the brakes was a routine more familiar than eating for the train conductors, who had been constantly transporting supplies between the various tribes and the Black City these past few days.

Screeech!

As the train braked, blinding sparks flew from the tracks, and with a piercing screech of friction, the steam train ground to a halt.

One carriage door after another was roughly pushed open from the inside. The carriages, which had been packed like sardines on the way there, now seemed much emptier.

Several half-beastkin, bearing scars but sporting wide smiles, stepped out. Some sprinted, while others limped, rushing toward the crowd of families who had long been waiting by the tracks.

Ever since they were summoned to the Black City when the war was about to begin, they had not seen their families.

As for the families who had been anxious at home, they had lived in fear every day. Compared to who won or lost the war, they were far more worried about whether their loved ones would perish in the conflict.

Now that they were reunited, both the warriors returning from the battlefield and the families who had waited at home felt as if a lifetime had passed. They threw themselves into each other's arms, weeping tears of joy, and for a moment, the entire waiting hall was filled with the sound of crying.

But these were tears of joy.

Anna, like those who had not yet seen their men return, leaned against the railing of the waiting hall. She watched eagerly, her eyes filled with anticipation as she stared at the train carriages, hoping that the next person to step out would be that stalwart figure.

But for some reason, she had a terrible premonition in her heart.

On her back, Anna carried two infants.

One was a minotaur, and the other was a rabbitkin.

Both were secured to her back with strips of cloth, and they were currently fast asleep.

They were the crystallization of her love with Iron Bull.

As time ticked by, the unease in Anna's heart grew stronger.

“You silly bull, please don't let anything happen to you...”

Anna prayed silently in her heart.

Minutes and seconds slipped away.

The waiting hall grew emptier and emptier.

Finally, the train carriage doors shut completely. Everyone else in the waiting hall had already left.

Anna still had not seen that stalwart figure.

Her gaze turned blank and numb as a terrible thought began to take root in her mind.

But she immediately shook the horrific thought from her head.

Seeing the steam train blow its whistle, preparing to depart, Anna could no longer suppress her emotions. She nimbly leaped over the railing, rushed to the side of the locomotive, and pounded frantically on the cabin window.

The driver of the steam train was a kobold. Seeing this, he hastily slammed on the brakes. Fortunately, the train was not moving fast yet, so it came to an easy stop.

Opening the door, he asked politely, “Is something the matter?”

Anna's voice trembled slightly. “Can... can you tell me... why my husband didn't return?”

The kobold driver was taken aback. A look of loneliness crossed his face, and he lowered his head, replying sorrowfully, “I'm sorry, ma'am. Although I hate to say this... your husband... should already be...”

“The pension arranged by Her Grace should be delivered before long.”

His voice trailed off, but the meaning was already all too clear.

Anna could no longer bear it. She collapsed to the ground with a thud, her eyes instantly welling up as two crystal tears rolled down her cheeks.

The minotaur infant on her back seemed to sense something; its tiny hand clenched tightly in its sleep.

“My condolences,” the kobold driver offered gently. He had seen too much death lately, and he was already somewhat numb to scenes like this.

With his duties to fulfill, he took one last look at Anna and prepared to close the door to continue his transport run.

But his movements suddenly froze.

Because Anna had suddenly grabbed the door. Her tear-streaked face stared straight at him, her voice cracking as she sobbed, “Where... where is he buried now?”

“Black City,” the kobold driver replied without hesitation. “Her Grace held a grand funeral for the fallen soldiers and erected a monument for them.”

At this, a look of deep respect appeared on his face. Clearly, he held Her Grace in extremely high esteem; even the term 'fallen soldiers' was something he had learned from her.

“Then... can you take me... to see him?” Anna choked out, yet she still forced herself to wipe the tears from her face. She turned her head slightly to look out of the corner of her eye at the two children still fast asleep on her back.

“My children... have never even seen their father.”

“This...” The kobold driver hesitated. It wasn't that he was unwilling, but he feared that this rabbitkin woman would be overwhelmed by grief and that something might happen to her.

But when he saw the numb, lost look in Anna's eyes, his heart ultimately softened. He patted the passenger seat and said, “Hop in.”

...

The steam train was fast. It took only a single morning for Anna to arrive at the Black City.

She had arrived at the place where countless iron and blood had been laid to rest.

Over the course of the morning, she had managed to steady her emotions. As part of a primitive tribe surviving brutally in the God-Forsaken Land, witnessing life and death was all too common.

Anna had made up her mind: even if Iron Bull was gone, she would raise their two children well.

Yet, as she asked for directions along the way and finally reached the city gates, seeing the obelisk towering amidst the yellow sands, she could no longer hold it in. Two streams of clear tears flowed down her face.

“Ma'am, your health is important. Please take care of yourself,” a young beastkin guard at the gate comforted her, unable to bear the sight.

But Anna was completely deaf to his words.

Wailing, she ran toward the obelisk standing in the yellow sands.

She stumbled and fell to the ground several times along the way, only to scramble back up each time.

The sight broke the young guard's heart. He wanted to go forward to help her, but he was held back by an older beastkin guard who was also on duty.

The old beastkin shook his head. “Don't go. Let her be alone.” He then looked at Anna, who had stumbled to the obelisk and was now draped over its base, wailing. Sighing, he said, “None of the children of our God-Forsaken Land are weak. She'll be fine after a good cry.”

The wind and sand whistled by. The old beastkin turned his head away and rubbed his eyes, pretending it was nothing. “The wind and sand are quite strong today.”

But when he opened his eyes, his expression suddenly shifted, and he quickly stood at attention.

For three figures were striding over from the distance.

They wore pitch-black armor, their white capes fluttering in the wind.

On those capes, drawn in a blood-red crimson, was a wolf's head biting down on the handle of an axe!