Darksiders: The Cost of Balance

Chapter Seven

Bjorn was raised by Rava and Morris.  He spent his infancy in the orphanage near the Capital, where the children of fallen soldiers were housed.  With at least a dozen other newborns in the nursery, the boy was well provided for.  Upon reaching his toddler years, Morris and Rava came to collect him, claiming him as their nephew.  No one questioned their claim, for they had no reason to.

After all, Bjorn's true heritage was an open secret within Eden.  Faith hadn't been able to alter the memories of the entire population.  Only the children did not remember.  Most adults remembered or came to know the secret through their own deductions, but never spoke of it aloud.  Fortunately, his facial structure only minimally resembled hers, and though he had inherited her dark hair, his eyes were hazel rather than her steel blue.

Faith kept her distance from him as much as she could, despite how difficult it was.  In his toddler years, Bjorn suffered nightmares not dissimilar to her own; thus she was often called to soothe him on such nights.  The boy often looked to the Daria with admiration and wonder, which was not uncommon among her youngest students.  Faith struggled to seem indifferent whenever he caught her eye, knowing she couldn't show favoritism in front of his classmates.  Not long after his fourth birthday, he gave the Daria a garland at the Grand Festival, which she accepted with a smile and the promise to cherish it forever, as well as an inner battle against emotions and tears.  After that, alone with Rava, Faith confessed she wanted nothing more than to be a mother to her own son, despite that being impossible.

That changed when the boy turned eight.

It was shortly after the Grand Festival that year.  Faith was called away from the classroom to deal with a demon incursion near the Sanctuary.  Though there were plenty of guards and assistant teachers posted at the Academy, even Faith failed to realize that the incursion was really a diversion, and that the demons' true target that day had been a class of younger students.

Upon returning to the Academy and receiving the guards' report, learning which students had been taken, the Daria set out immediately to rescue the children.  Unfortunately, she calculated that she would need a Horseman's help, and the only way to get it was by appealing to the Charred Council.

Faith ran with magically enhanced speed the moment her boot touched the blasted earth of the volcanic realm.  She went straight to the Council's court chamber, neither stopping nor slowing until she was before the giant effigies.  War and Death were there, in the process of receiving their orders for a mission.

The Horsemen turned to her in surprise.  "What are you doing here?" asked War.

"I need your help," Faith answered, huffing from her run.  "A demon faction kidnapped some of my students.  I have to get them back, and I can't do it alone."

"You'll have to, girl," said the central idol.  "No Horseman can be spared today."

Faith sent the idols a glare.  "So you're okay with leaving innocent children in the hands of their abductors?"

"Unless it's a matter concerning the Balance—"

"The Great Pact only forbids the other Kingdoms from killing children," she exclaimed, her panic beginning to rise.  "It doesn't say anything about rape and torture.  I'm not letting those kids suffer and I'm taking a Horseman with me, whether you like it or not."

"Faith," said War, cautiously, "which students were taken?"

The girl swallowed and looked up at him, willingly showing him the fear in her expression.  "Bjorn's entire class."

War and Death exchanged looks, remained silent for a moment, then nodded to each other.

"I'll go," said Death, turning to the Council.  "War can handle this mission without me."