Darksiders: The Cost of Balance

Chapter Three

War attended each Grand Festival hence, sometimes arriving early or departing later than he'd planned.  This wasn't a desire to be among Humanity, but rather Faith's desire that he visit her more.  He obliged her as much as he could, but only during the Festival.  He knew the Council would be outraged should they learned that he secretly enjoyed the humans' annual holiday.  His brothers and sister would be equally surprised, but he hardly cared.

Roughly a decade after his first visit to Eden, his departure to the New Kingdom was intercepted by Strife.  The marksman stood outside the door of his brother's home on the granite world, arms folded over his armored chest, his helmed head cocked to the side in curiosity.  Behind him, standing beside Ruin, was his armored white mare, Mayhem (whose other name, known only by the other Horsemen and Faith, was Treachery), her mane flowing in fiery black wisps.  War grunted upon seeing him, then deliberately walked into his brother and shoved him out of his way.

"Hey, come on!" Strife called, turning on his heel to face his brother's back.  "I just want to know where you're going."

"That's not your concern," said War, preparing to mount Ruin.

"You've been saying that for the past decade.  I know how stoic you get, but this isn't like you.  I'm supposed to be the sneaky one."

"What makes you think I'm sneaking?"

"Oh, I don't know."  Strife shrugged and raised his hands sardonically.  "Maybe the fact that you keep making excuses to go who knows where once a year?"

Grunting, the younger brother turned to the elder.  "Eden."

The marksman blinked behind his helm, lowering his hands.  "Okay, that I wasn't expecting.  You mind telling me why?"

"A tradition Faith established.  It is . . . intriguing."

"Damn, could you be any vaguer?"

At that, War mounted his horse.  Once in the saddle and holding the bridle-chain, he sent his fellow Horseman the subtlest of smirks.  "Why not join me and see it yourself?"

Strife blinked again, though his brother could not see it.  "Seriously?"

When War continued smirking, Strife laughed and mounted his own steed.  "Lead the way, brother."

The two then vanished into the void between realms.  When the brothers arrived in Eden, appearing before the Tree of Life, they were bombarded by unexpected cannon-fire.  Acting instinctively, their reflexes honed by eons of experience, they drew their weapons and deflected every attack.  Then, as the humans reloaded the cannons, War lowered his blade and glowered at the attackers.

"What is the meaning of this?" he yelled, allowing some anger into his voice.  "You dare attack allies of your Daria?"

"What's a Daria?" Strife asked.

The soldiers behind the cannons ceased operations and knelt before the Horsemen.

"Forgive us, Sir Horseman," said their commander, his green cape and adamantium-plated armor coated with cannon soot.  "The Daria told us to expect an invasion today."

"I see."  War returned Chaoseater to his back.  "Perhaps you shouldn't assume that every visitor today will be hostile."

The commander looked up and nodded, his eyes and features determined.  "Understood, sir."

Strife returned his guns to their holsters.  "Seriously, what's a Daria?"

Before his brother could answer him, a silver blur came barreling toward them down the Path of Life.  Upon reaching them, the silver took on a darker hue and became the form of Faith in her black armor, her eyes wide with excitement as she looked up at the mounted Horsemen.