"Alara, my darling, what story would you like to listen to today?"

His young, precious daughter bit her lip, flashing him a toothy grin as she played with the folds of her skirt. Unlike most fathers, he looked forward to whenever the children's kindergarten ended as he felt that the time he spent with his children was a priceless one.

His children were a gift from his lovely wife, Cynthia, and he vowed to never neglect or leave them. With his family of four, his life was fulfilled and had true meaning, and as a fighter for freedom, Alvino Berrera would do anything to ensure that his children had a safe and content life.

"Papa, can I hear the story of the bad and good guys again?"

He looked down at his daughter and his heart melted when his dewy-eyed daughter sat beside him, her eyes bright with cheer and innocence.

"People's Hearts, you mean?"

"Yes Papa. People's Hearts please."

"Why, I think I've succeeded in having one of my kids become a history lover. Do you think Renny will love history too, Lara?"

"I don't know, Papa. Won't it be boring if both of us had the same interests? The world should have different people to make it a creative one." Alara responded with an unexpected wisdom from a child especially of her tender age.

"Yes, I agree." Alvino petted his daughter fondly, momentarily marvelling at how intelligent she was. The fact that Alara gained interest in the stories he had made to educate her on their country's history warmed his heart.

The reason he did that was because he wanted her to understand why he did what he does. There were some of his neighbours who had a warped perception of what a freedom fighter was, of why he was so insistent on going against the Governors in the ongoing Blood Revolution when they could submit to them and have peace again.

Only a few days ago, Erillie from the Grittie Market had refused to sell him eggs even when he cited that his children wanted to eat them.

"I won't be selling to you until you stop this foolish fight of yours. No good will come out of this, Alvino. Why are you fighting so much?"

"What, do you think that the Governors should win? Haven't you heard of the rumours?" He had returned defensively.

"Rumours? Aye, I did. The thing is, Alvino, you don't trust people enough."

"Don't trust? The hell, Eri? Rumour has it that the Governors will put on a nice facade for a few years after they win, and then that's when they will start kidnapping our children to give them to the rich! OUR CHILDREN, RILLIE!"

Erillie had remained impassioned and unconvinced by his passionate speech. "Nobody- not even the Governors- are that two-faced and heartless. They'd have to be the spawn of the Devil himself if they really were to kidnap our kids. Give up, Alvino. My husband and I are suffering so much from you fools' battle.

You don't care, I know you don't. But what your battle is doing is nothing except harming us. The divide between us and the rich is wider, and they are ostracising us and rejecting our services even more. Please, Vino, for old times' sake, ."

Needless to say, he had not allowed Erillie to sow doubt into his mind, nor had he let himself be swayed by her sincere plea. He knew what was best for them and was not brainwashed by the Governors' act.

There would be no peace if we live under them, Alvino thought firmly to himself. I have to win. The people have to win, for if we lose this battle, it will be the Governors will gain an eternal victory.

Alvino was jolted back to reality when Alara sat on his knee. Remembering what he promised her, Alvino cleared his throat and began telling Alara the story of how Excidium came to be.

"Lara, right now, we're living in the 22nd Century. The 22nd. Do you know that this is not the beginning of time?"

"It's not, Papa? There were other times too?" Alara asked, rapt with attention.

"Yes, my baby girl. You see, our world has experienced countless times in all of its eternity and even has periods like AD, also known as anno Domini, which was used commonly during the 9th Century. There was also BCE (Before the Common Era) too.

Not to forget, there was the 18th, 19th century... and now we live in the 22nd century.

Yet so much has changed since then. Those centuries' histories before the 22nd have been long lost, the majority of it during the hectic and tumultuous period of the 21st Century. However, we mustn't blame them.

They had suffered more than us, Alara. Those people living in those times were preoccupied with a myriad of things, ranging from environmental issues like climate change, and even massive, large-scale humanitarian crises. Who would have had the time to preserve history when all the past world leaders had all these concerns on their plate?" Alvino took a deep breath and smiled when he found his dearest daughter was still listening with rapt attention.

"Due to these problems- and bear in mind, those which I mentioned were only a small handful- revolutions began in the later parts of the 21st Century. The 2060s was a period of intense escalations of tension. Certain countries started adopting isolationist policies, while globalisation started to be rejected by several parts of the world.

People with power wanted to retain that and hence majority prioritised their own interests first, leading to many chaotic situations.

With the powerful getting more rapacious, their citizens became incensed because while their leaders had the world at their feet, they had nothing. They barely coped by and had to deal with all of their leader's decisions- sometimes they were corrupt too- and obviously became sick of dealing with it.

Thus, there were uprisings and revolts... and in 2073, the Blood Revolution- which we are currently still under- began.

The Blood Revolution, which I'm a part of, is the commoners' fight against the powerful, money-grubbing leaders.

We fight for several things, such as our rights, our equality, abolishment of the class system and racism. We fight now, so that later, peace can have its everlasting reign.

The avaricious world leaders are only fighting against us so that they can increase their chances of winning. But Alara, they lose. The people's hearts will always win." Alvino's voice fell to a whisper when he realised that his innocent, angelic daughter had fallen fast asleep on his thigh.

His wife chuckled at the adorable sight. "It seems that Lara agrees with me that you're a boring man, my love."

"A boring man I may be, but it's you that married me, so what's that say about you?" He teased while putting his daughter on the sofa. Turning his attention to his beautiful wife, he cupped her face and planted a kiss on her lips.

Giggling, Cynthia kissed in succession and soon the couple gazed at their sleeping children in a moment of shared contentment.

"I'll do anything I can to keep them safe and forever merry." Cynthia suddenly professed, and Alvino took his soft-hearted wife's smooth hand in his callused one and kissed it tenderly.

"My love, don't worry. I will always be with you till the end. I'll never leave you." he promised while he stroked her hair.

"But the Blood Revolution isn't over. You'll have to return to the frontline soon, don't you?" At his silence, Cynthia withdrew herself from his arms and stood up, fear evident in her eyes.

"Don't go back, love. Don't, please!"

Following her ardent protest, Alvino stood up too, and searched for his armoured vest and gun. "We will win, Cynthia. We . I won't let my comrades die in vain, and I'll be part of the victorious political party so that we can protect our children's future." His tone was dark now, and there were underlying hints of greed and fierce determination in his tone. "We'll win."

His eyes sparkled radiantly as he pictured the idealistic world in his mind, which made his brown orbs seem even darker.

"And what if we don't win? What if we lose instead?"

His wife's frightened voice jerked him back to reality. Gosh, he was feeling irate now. This is why women won't succeed in battle- they're ever so cautious and full of jitters.

It had come.

Shouts and screams filled the small marketplace of the village. They were of joy, and of terror.

The atmosphere was fraught with uncertainty. There were people crying tears of joy, and beaming as the news of the victory spread. And there were those who were on their knees, yelling and cursing at the Gods they had once believed in.

Some were even selling their wares for a dirt-cheap price, clearly planning to seek refuge in other countries like Laetor or Harmonia despite the great distance and cost which was perfectly understandable. Whoever dared to ride out the tumultuous weather here will likely drown in heartbreak and death.

Cynthia Berrera merely stood still and remained impassive. Her heart... Do I still have one? What else does it do now, beside beat and pump useless blood?

My heart... Why does it still beat? It should stop, like Alvino's, so that I can see him again.

My heart... Why, why are you still beating?

"Mama!" A cry from the distance.

"Mmmm-ah.... Mmmah... Mmah!" A sudden, unexpected babble in the midst of bloodshed and chaos.

"Mama!"

Cynthia turned, and saw her little Lara carrying her heavy brother in her tiny arms, running towards her as fast as her tiny legs could allow her to.

As she enveloped her darling children in her arms, she thought, my heart... is this why you still beat?

Her heartbeat seemed to be more rapid and pulsated more as if in the form of an answer.

This is why I'm alive. My children.

She kissed their chubby cheeks and came to a conclusion.

Yes, I'll live for them. I'll live for you, Renald and Alara. I will never leave you, and trust me when I say that you can count on that.

Her heart pounded furiously and fiery determination burned in her eyes.