Darksiders: The Cost of Balance

Chapter Six

The moment was short-lived, for in the next a blurry streak of yellow entered through the hole in the roof and egressed through the open door.  Faith fell on her side as the blur pushed her down, her arms suddenly empty.  War looked up and followed the streak, instantly alert, his hand reaching for Chaoseater.  His siblings took up arms, as well, and Rava moved to shield her daughter.  But they all froze when Baal stopped in the clearing just beyond the Roots of Knowledge and smiled wickedly, displaying the wailing infant in his taloned fist.

Faith's scream was raw and primal as she used her arms to drag herself toward the door, the motion causing her birthing wound to bleed.  War, recognizing her sudden terror and desperation, instantly lowered his hand from his sword and placed it on Faith's shoulder, then pressed with just enough force to keep her immobile.

"No," he barked.  "You can't even walk."

The Daria struggled in spite of that fact, her new maternal instincts overwhelming her.  War looked up, teeth ground in frustration, and saw his brothers hesitantly reaching for their weapons with equally frustrated looks.  The Demon Lord laughed at their conflict.

"Glorious, isn't it?" he mocked, fangs bared and muscles twitching beneath his sickly yellow skin.  "You can't strike at me without harming the little one."

He brought the child to his face and flicked his tongue over the infant's skin, laughing again as Faith shrieked, her magic sparking silver across her body as she writhed beneath War's hand.

"Innocence truly is delicious," Baal continued over both Faith and her child's screams.  "I must say, waiting until after the birth wasn't Lucifer's best strategy, but I can't deny it was effective."

Fenrir and his mate joined in, growling in threat, approaching with caution, their pups huddled behind the boulder.  Rava inched closer to Faith and extended her hands, chanting a quiet cantrip in an attempt to calm her friend.  War cursed under his breath, frustratingly aware of the predicament the Demon Lord presented.

Faith stilled beneath War's grip.  In the corner of his vision, he registered her outstretched left hand coated with her magic, her gauntlet appearing on her arm a moment later.  The Chronosphere in her armor glowed, the cerulean glass temporarily flaring as the Daria altered time.  War returned his attention to Baal and noted that the Demon Lord had slowed, enveloped by a blue, membranal aura.

"Sensei," the Horseman heard Faith whisper.

Then her entire body flared with blinding silver light, her hair floating along the light in similar fashion to Fury's.  Her magic amplified directly by its source, the Daria vanished from beneath War's hand amidst the silver flash, appearing before Baal.  Hell's fastest demon faltered ever slightly, just failing to conceal his surprise at her sudden speed.  The girl then held out her arms and enveloped her son in her magic, releasing him from Baal's grip and taking him into her own with the shimmering silver waves.  A twitch of her head in the Demon Lord's direction blasted him into the forest beyond her home, his legs and tail following in pieces after him.

Another tilt of her head sent the silver energy flowing through the front door of her house, beyond which a cradle grew from the rich wood of her floors.  Using her amplified magic again, she sped into her home to lay the infant in his new crib, then returned to clearing just as fast.  More silvery wisps billowed from her as she stood, barely, on shaking legs, her birthing wound still bleeding.  The Daria glared at the demonic intruders, the threat in her eyes as mad as it was menacing.

War, Death, Strife and Samael looked on, curious what she would do, if not a bit concerned.

She then opened her mouth to scream, but it wasn't her voice that sounded.