Darksiders: The Seed of Knowledge

Chapter Thirty

After finally convincing Vulgrim to let her use his Serpent Holes, Faith entered the court of the Charred Council again.  She used her shoulder rune to adapt to the realm, rather than Fury's Flame Hollow, and the mask part of her helmet to breathe.  This time, Fenrir was by her side to support the case she planned to present.  The Four stood behind her, not to protect her if things turned ugly, but to witness what she would do.

"I've completed my calculations," she told the Council before they could ask what she'd found.  "My conclusion is that in order for Balance to be restored, Eden must first be returned to Creation."

The flames of the effigies roared.  "That's absurd!" spat the leftmost idol.  "That realm no longer exists!"

"Wrong.  Azrael hid the entire planet in a pocket dimension.  He got the idea from what Death once told him about the security measures for the Abomination Vault."

Death stilled.  "You know of the Vault?"

"Are you kidding?"  She turned to him, deadpan.  "I know how the Grand Abominations were created.  All of them.  In detail."  She shuddered briefly.  "Of course, I know about the Vault, you dumbass."

The Horseman dipped his masked face slightly.  "My apologies."

Faith turned back to the Council.  "You can think whatever you want about it, but I'm telling you the truth.  Eden is the most crucial part of the equation.  Mankind even had a prophecy about it, back when human prophets still existed."

That surprised everyone, even the Charred Council.  "What prophecy?" the central effigy barked.

Faith smiled.  "I'm glad you asked.  I'll give you the summarized version."  As she spoke, she moved her hands in gestures similarly to how her mother would when teaching.  "Basically, 'a War between two Nations will decimate the Earth, the dead will return Life in a great Resurrection, and the world shall become like Paradise.'  If you recite these lines with recent events in mind, the two nations are Heaven and Hell duking it out in the End War, which did in fact decimate Earth because it happened early.  The second part about reviving the dead was set in motion when Death used the Well of Souls to return Mankind to the Balance.  They're on their way to being reborn even as we speak.  The only problem is that they need a realm to be reborn in, and it can't be Earth because that world can no longer support human life.

"That's where the third line comes into play: 'the world shall become like Paradise.'  The original interpretation was that Earth would become like Heaven, based on Humanity's limited understanding of Creation.  My interpretation is that 'the world' refers to the Third Kingdom in general, rather than Earth specifically, and that it won't become like Paradise, but Paradise itself."

"Are you suggesting," said the rightmost idol, "that Man will be reborn in Eden?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying.  That world was ours to begin with.  We have every right to return."  Faith blinked, stunned by what she had just said.  She had never considered herself part of Humanity before.  It wasn't that she'd thought herself superior, which she didn't, but that she'd never been welcome in human society.  However, speaking now as the only human currently alive and therefore representing her race, she had not been untruthful.  "Mankind must be reborn in Eden.  Otherwise, the Balance will fall beyond repair."

Fenrir nodded in agreement.

"Ridiculous," said the central effigy.  "A prophecy written by humans is neither substantial nor convincing."

Faith blinked again, this time at the Council's idiocy.  "Seriously?  How much more convincing do you need?"  Her hands went to her hips, her posture scolding.  "Are you trying to sabotage the one chance you have of cleaning up your mess?"