Otherworldly Liberty

Chapter Zero: Beginning After the End

Author's Note: This is my first serious attempt at writing a story, I'll put the best of my efforts into bringing quality content to everybody who takes the time to read this, any suggestions, comments, and feedback is more than welcome!

Discord tag: kinhou
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The Kingdom of Sweden
City of Stockholm
One Week Before the 'Anomaly' Incident
December 31st, 2025.

'I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.'

One of the most brilliant scientists to walk on our Mother Earth was the author of that very powerful quote, desperately — and futilely — trying to warn humanity, and let it be known that, if more blood was to be spilt on our planet's soil, eventually, everything would be painted red.

And yet, despite all the warnings and close calls we had since the start of the Cold War or even after its anticlimactic end with the fall of the Soviet Union, mankind didn't heed the warning — no, promise — the respect it demanded of us.

And now, the price was to be paid in full.

The details are lost in the mountain of reports and media, likely to only be uncovered when the dust settles and the fog of war dissolves itself. However, the damage was clear. After nearly 4 years of war since it first began on the 24th of February, 2022 — the world's conventional forces were devastated, assaults were carried out, retreats were ordered and entire fleets were sunk in the brutal brawl that ensued.

On October 10th, 2025 — The now infamous 'Third World War' reached its climax, when Russia's leadership, determined to turn their situation around in Eastern Europe and pressured by the other Neo Axis powers, opened Pandora's Box with the single-most devastating gamble in human history.

An strategic nuclear attack was carried out on Ukraine, in the city of Kyiv, with the intent of forcing a surrender-through-nuclear-ultimatum. The results were cataclysmic for the human race.

The events that occurred afterwards were a blur that will take months, or even years to be properly cleared, but one thing was totally obvious — at the very least, a limited nuclear exchange had been carried out — and humanity was thereby baptized in nuclear fire as a whole, our Mother Earth cried out in horror, while its children released an untold amount of terrors on the beautiful surface she possessed, now transformed into a scarred crust or green, gray and brown.

Now, the world powers from both the NATO Pact and the Sino-led Axis finally sat down at the peace table, the room which contained it, unassuming and unimpressive, as most of the other UN Headquarters were either completely destroyed by the conventional fighting that took place in previous years, or annihilated alongside the cities that contained them, likely sponsored by one of the many nuclear ICBM-carried warheads released, nonetheless, this would suffice in the meantime.

This location was chosen because Sweden, retaining it's century-long neutrality, avoided the worst consequences of the destruction, a long, straight table accommodated each of the world leaders that represented their respective countries, with their nation's flag in front of them.

Fearing complete annihilation and the extinction of our kind by the hands of the atom, a White Peace was signed, neither gains nor losses of territory were recognized, and instead each party took the decision to focus on their own recovery from the catastrophic events that transpired months prior.