Darksiders: Light In Darkness (Fourth Book)

Chapter 16: Love isn't for Everyone

"God dammit, Strife, you lying bastard!"
"Why is everyone so surprised he did this?"
"You guys are acting like I did something wrong and Fury, you should be the LAST one talking about Lying!"  Strife huffed, glaring at Fury.
    Damiana sat motionless in the armchair, legs crossed nearly in front of her as she watched her family yell and scream at one and other. This was her family...after all these years of saying they weren't her real family in her mind...Damiana's thoughts now became clear. For years she let her mind wander, but right at that moment everything became crystal clear.
How the horsemen immediately took a liking to her...
And everything else, it all finally started making sense.
Strife was her father...
Death was her uncle, so was War, and Fury was her aunt...
"I'm going to go fight Lucifer and you all are going to-"
"Excuse me? Who made you the leader?"
"I did as soon as I dragged your disgusting corpse from Oblivion!" Death spat at Strife, who puffed up angrily.
"I'm gong to fight for my daughter."
    Damiana felt her heart skip a few beats. Not in a happy way, no, but in a weird way. She didn't know exactly how to explain her feelings to herself. Was she angry that this was the man that sired her?
Or...
Was she sickly happy at the fact that this was the man that was her father? That she now has an actually family she can claim and be apart of on a blood level?
    Damiana shook her head and listened in to their conversation, pale face contorted into a stone like impassive way. Occasionally, she would catch Strife glancing over at her, but instead of holding his gaze, she would gaze off into space.
"This is the one time; The ONE time I can fight for something. No orders, no threats, it's my own terms, and you tell me no? Are you really going to deny me the right to protect Damiana?" Strife roared, glaring down at Death.
    Damiana blinked and slid from the chair, making a dramatic groan as she did so. The horsemen all glanced over at her and held their gaze as she walked out the room.
"Um? Horseman Damiana?" Vora piped up, flittering after Damiana.
"No." She held a hand up to silence the Watcher.
And in the other she concealed a tiny black vial...
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"Dami?" The young Nephilim heard a voice call from the doorway.
"May I come in?" Strife said quietly, eyes not raising from the floor.
"Sure," Damiana sighed, tearing her eyes from the window to briefly stare at Strife's desolate eyes.
"Yes...?" Damiana asked when Strife stayed silent as he entered the room.
"I just wanted to talk to you."
"Then talk."
"Why won't you look at me? Why didn't you tell me-"
"Because it wasn't an important detail." Damiana said abruptly, sighing with an expression that spelled out inner conflict.
"Not an important detail?? I beg to differ-"
"Strife, please, it's fine, I'm fine," Damiana turned and forced a smile to ease the obviously worried Strife.
Strife blinked and held out his arm, displaying the same crescent moon birthmark on his inner forearm. Damiana looked down at his arm in curiosity; Strife seldom walked around without his lightweight armor, he always looked more metal than flesh most the time. Yet here he was, sitting on the edge of Damiana's bed, sans armor.
When Strife sighed and put his head in his hands, Damiana slowly looked back outside the window that sat next to her bed.
"You shouldn't feel bad." She muttered, looking back at Strife once more.
"And why not? Because of me your moth-"
"It wasn't your fault, it was Zacrieal's. Don't blame yourself." Damiana sighed, sliding over next to Strife.
Strife raised a black eyebrow and tilted his head, yellow eyes glinting with confusion. Leaning her head against his shoulder, Damiana crossed her arms and stared at the wall across from them. Now that they knew...Damiana was waiting for something to happen to Vora, for someone to pull her aside and tell her the worst of news.
'It's because of me she's gonna die soon. All me and my big mouth. The Council need to hurry up and do this...' She thought as a cloud of self loathing darkened her features.
Sensing Damiana's concealed distress, Strife pulled her into his arms and gently put his forehead against hers, closing his eyes as he did so. Eyes widening, Damiana looked up at Strife with bewilderment.
"Now I see why..." Was all he said, faint smile forming.
"You see why...?"
"You'll see...aren't you tired?" Strife said quietly, opening his eyes to a slit.
"...are you?" She mumbled up at him.
The third horseman shrugged and hesitantly kissed Damiana's brow.
"Somewhat...I don't know why." Strife muttered, yawning.
"I know why..." Damiana mumbled, looking up at Strife.
"Oh? Why is that?"
"It's because of this." Damiana brought up the black vial she concealed from the horsemen hours prior.
"What is that?" Strife muttered, feeling a tingling sensation overwhelm him.
"It's a concoction of many plants that induce sleep."
"Sleep...what?" Strife slurred.
"...Maybe I put too much in your share of dinner." Damiana chuckled, sitting up from Strife's lap.
"Where are you....going...?" Strife mumbled, struggling to keep consciousness.
"I'm going to fight Lucifer." Damiana muttered, pulling her concealed leather bag from the cupboard in the wall.
"But I was supposed to-"
"Hush now. There's no way in hell I am gonna let you guys die for me."
"But I...need-"
"To sleep, Father," Damiana looked back at Strife and slipped the satchel on her shoulder.
Strife looked as if he wanted to say something else, but slowly sank into Damiana's bed with a small grunt. Damiana smiled and skipped over to the now slumbering Strife.
"Goodnight, Dad...don't worry about me...I love you." She kissed his brow and slipped her amulets, a bright red one and vibrant blue one, into his hands.
And with that, Damiana scampered into the now dark house, a nervous smile plastered on her face. She said her goodbyes to the rest of the brotherhood, who couldn't even open their mouths to object her. For once, Damiana was one step ahead of the horsemen, she deceived them finally. She snuck into the forge and stole the enchanted blade from it's resting place...
Along with it's maker...
"Where are we going...and why am I going to accompany you?" Ilyea asked nervously, gingerly easing herself into the saddle behind Damiana.
Glory shifted a little on it's strong legs, trying to get used to the added weight on it's back. Damiana patted her neck and smiled back at Ilyea.
"I need a partner, no?"
"Hey! Aren't I your partner?" Vora huffed playfully, appearing next to Damiana.
"Of course. But...to answer your question...we are going to the Shadow kingdom, we need some supplies from there first." Damiana beamed at her two companions.
With the flick of her wrist, Damiana sent Glory into a fast paced gallop, rolling her shoulders as the weight of Genesis sagged on her shoulders. With a nervous smile, Damiana looked back at the house...
Dearly hoping that what her mother showed her just before she came down to Earth could be true...