Warnings: Mentions of death and terminal illnesses

Prologue I: Roland

Roland Crane, President of Usonia glanced wearily up at the hospital as his limosine pulled into the entrance. The words Kingdom Hospital blazed overhead.

"We're here, Mr President," his driver announced.

He sighed. "Yes. Thank you, Rogers."

"How long will you be visiting this time?"

Roland glanced at his watch and grimaced. There was just never enough time in his day for this, even when he planned for it. "Give me an hour," he replied.

"Understood, sir. I'll come back to pick you up in an hour."

One of his security detail was now opening the door so he stepped out. He watched the limosine pull away before glancing up at the hospital once more.

"This way, Mr President." That was Tyler Banks, the man heading up his little entourage. With his short cut blond hair, shades and dark suit he managed to cut a modestly imposing figure despite his slim build, or maybe that was because his face seemed permanently schooled into such a serious expression.

"Thank you, Tyler, I do know the way."

"Yes, Mr President," he replied and Roland sighed. Trying to get the man to joke with him was like pulling teeth and some part of him wondered why he kept trying.

They headed inside with two of the security detail taking point and he shook his head as they scrutinised every direction except down. "You really think there's a chance someone will target me here?" He had to ask.

"We can't take the risk, sir. Not with the way things are."

He sighed again. "I suppose you're right."

The receptionist smiled pleasantly as he approached. It seemed today was a slow night. "Hello, Mr President."

He smiled back, even though the reason he was here was no smiling matter. But then he'd become good at that; Forcing a smile onto his face even when he didn't feel like smiling. "Hi. I'm sure you know why I'm here?"

She smiled sadly. "Of course, Mr President. He's waiting for you in his room."

"Thanks. I… don't suppose there's been any changes?"

"No, Mr President. Or at least, none for the better."

"No…" He sighed. "I didn't think there would be." He signed for his visitor's pass and waited for his security detail to do the same before heading for the children's ward of the hospital.

He hesitated before the door, hand raised to knock. Honestly he hated coming here. It was always the same news. "Sorry, Mr President, but I'm afraid he isn't getting any better." And the worst part was that they didn't know why. He was for all intents and purposes perfectly healthy but for whatever reason his vitals and overall wellbeing was slowly and steadily declining. It was as if the life was draining out of his body, and was currently being described as a mystery wasting disease. The doctors said that they were doing everything they could, but he was far from being the only person to contract such an affliction and he knew of people who had died from whatever it was.

Roland remembered the anger, the frustration, the feeling of being powerless. That there was nothing he could do or say, no command that he could give to resolve the situation and make it better, and despite their assurances, despite their efforts, there was nothing the doctors could do either. Eventually the anger abated and turned to numbness, and now here he was, resigned to the fact that his only child was dying.

He steeled himself and knocked. Knock, knock.

"Come in?"

Roland stepped into the room and smiled. "Hey, kiddo."

William smiled back. "Hi, Daddy."

"I won't be able to stay long today."

"I know. You're going to another peace conference today aren't you?"

"Yeah, that's right. I am."

"Do you think it will go better this time?"

Roland winced as he recalled the disaster that was the previous attempt. "I sure hope so, but… I don't know. I guess we'll see."

"Why is it so hard, Daddy? For people to get along?"

He sighed. "Everyone has their own problems, Will. Sometimes those problems get in the way of people getting along. And if those problems can't be solved by getting along, then people will wonder what the point of it is."

"That's sad."

"… It is… But that's where we are right now."

"Is it because of all the bad things that have been happening?"

"Well… not everything is because of something bad happening. Sometimes bad people get into power and it allows them to do bad things to their own country."

"But there's been so many bad people and bad things, Daddy. Why is that?"

Boy wasn't that a question for the ages? "No idea, kiddo. If I was religious I might be tempted to say it was the end times."

"Will… will everything be okay?"

"Everything will be all right in the end, Will. You know what they say; It's always the darkest before the dawn. Things might seem real dark right now, but we'll see the sun again."

"But what if the conference doesn't go well this time either?"

"Hey. You let me worry about that, okay?"

"… Okay." In the pause that followed, Roland sighed as his thoughts turned forwards to the upcoming peace conference. With all the natural disasters, industrial accidents on a massive scale, countries warring with each other or with themselves, it really did seem like the end times. The peace conference was intended to turn back the tide of chaos by uniting several nations. But if this one failed as well, then… then what was going to happen next? "Mommy came today," Will spoke, breaking the silence and drawing Roland out of his musings.

"Oh? How was she?"

"She's good. But… She said she's found someone else."

"Oh. Well… good for her."

"You really mean that?"

"Yeah… I do. Being President has meant not having much time for family. When you became sick, well… I didn't have time for her when she needed someone."

"Is that why she left?"

"Yeah. It was."

"I thought it was because of me."

"It wasn't, kiddo, that was on me. And I'm glad she's found someone… someone she can rely on."

"I was hoping we'd be able to be a family again. When I get better."

Roland swallowed. "We're still a family, kiddo. Just not a family together. I want you promise me something."

"What?"

"I want you to promise to give… whoever they are, a chance, all right? I know you want everything to go back to the way it was, but… well… sometimes you can't get what you want. And it's not their fault that all this happened, so I don't want you to be mad at them. Do you understand?"

Will sighed. "Yes, Daddy. I understand."

He smiled. "You're a good kid, Will. I want them to see that."

Will smiled back. "Okay."

Roland checked his watch and sighed.

"Is it time for you to go already?"

"'Fraid so, kiddo."

"You'll come back to see me again, right Daddy?"

He smiled. "Don't I always?"

"You do, but…"

"But what?"

"I know you're very busy, and what you do is important, and I'm proud of you Daddy, but…"

"But you wish I could visit more often."

Will dropped his gaze into the book clasped in his hands. "… Sorry, Daddy… I know that's selfish and being selfish is bad…"

"Will. It's not-" But he stopped and sighed; He didn't have time for this. "Look, I'll tell you what. If the peace conference goes well, I'll come back and visit you again, all right?"

"I'd like that. But… what if it doesn't?"

He grimaced. "I don't know. I guess we'll see."

Will's shoulders slumped a little as he sighed. "… Okay…"

Roland wanted to say something but… what could he say? He stood. "We'll talk later, kiddo. Hopefully sooner rather than later."

"Okay. Good luck, Daddy."

Roland hugged him and ruffled his hair after he'd pulled away. "Thanks, Will. I'll see you around."

"How's Will?" Rogers asked as they pulled away.

"Well he's… He's not getting any better, but… he's hanging in there."

"Do you think they'll be able to find a cure in time?"

"No… Or at least… I'd rather not get my hopes up. I've accepted that he's… that Will is… that he's going to die. And there's nothing they can do."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Mr President. Will seems like a good kid."

Roland smiled at that. "He is… It's a shame he couldn't have had a better father."

Rogers chose not to comment, so they drove on in silence. He broke that silence as they reached the Tamerlane Bridge. "We'll be arriving shortly, Mr President."

Something caught his attention, a light moving quickly through the night sky, far too low to be a star or a plane. What…? He swore his blood froze when recognition dawned on him. It was a missile! "What in the world…?" And it was headed straight for the city! Roland could only watch helplessly as it vanished into the skyline. Then came a brilliant flash of light so bright that it scorched his eyes, and a rain of fire. The force of the detonation blew away all the surrounding buildings, the Tamerlane Bridge and everyone on it, so suddenly that Rogers barely had time to hit the brakes, as if that would've done anything to save them. One second he was moving forward, the next he was being thrown backwards through the air, as if some giant, invisible hand had picked up his limosine and hurled it away. As he drowned in a world of pain he was completely unaware of the light that engulfed his body and whisked him away…

A/N: I slowed down the opening prologue and gave it more time to breathe, so we get more of a glimpse at Roland's world and his relationship with Will before things went south, instead of catapulting us into the story like the game. There are some details in here that will come up again later. Next, it's Evan's turn.