Only the Cardinal did not give in to despair. He possessed faith in the inevitable triumph of mankind. He walked among the huddled masses, healing the wounded, curing the sick, preaching to the faithful. Where he walked the light shone, hope filled the hearts of all who heard him. He knew what must be done.
He summoned the heads of all the Megacorporations and told them what was required of them. At first the balked, fearing to lose their ancient powers and privileges if they submitted to the leader of the Brotherhood. Cardinal Durand did not argue. He simply pointed out that with the Dark Legion triumphant they would lose everything anyway. The mighty masters of the Corporations pondered his words and saw that they were fair. They agreed to the Cardinal's plan. It was implemented that very day.
Throughout the armed forces of the Corporations, Inquisitors and Missionaries moved, preaching the Holy Word, shielding the soldiers from the darkness with the power of the light. Bolstered by the presence of the faithful, shielded from the Dark Symmetry by the light of the art, the armies of humanity finished their long retreat and began to make a stand.
No longer did the followers of the Darkness win easy victories over terrified foes. Now, they were met by stiff resistance, carried out by determined warriors who knew they were humanity's last hope and that even their smallest act of heroism might tip the balance in this cosmic conflict between good and ultimate evil.
Meanwhile the Cardinal summoned to his presence the elite forces of all the corporations and prepared them for battle. To his side, came the Sea Lions of Capitol, the Hatamoto of Mishima, the Venusian Rangers of Bauhaus and the Blood Berets of Imperial. They were reinforced by contingents of the second Directorate and spearheaded by the mighty Doomtroopers. It was the greatest gathering of heroes in the history of humanity. It needed to be. Cardinal Durand's plan was simple. He was taking them all to Venus, there to face Algeroth himself.
The Blessed One and the Apostle of War clashed on the field of battle. The warriors of humanity faced a gigantic Horde of Ezoghouls, Legionnaires, Nepharites and Centurions. Surrounded by his personal guard, the legendary Fury, Cardinal Durand cleaved a path of red ruin until he faced Algeroth. For a day and a night the Holy One and the Lord of Destruction wrestled. They fought on every level. Sacred Blade rang against Symmetric armour. Black bullets bounced off the Holy Vestments. Tidal waves of the Dark Symmetry sought to drown out the Light. At last the Cardinal had the mastery. Algeroth fled to within the heart of his citadel, and was pursued there by Nathaniel Durand.
There, in the Sanctum, before the very alter of Algeroth, the Cardinal vanquished the Demon lord of the Dark Technology but himself took a mortal wound.
Thus, in the midst of his greatest triumph, Nathaniel Durand was felled. Ever afterwards our rejoicing at his triumph was to be tempered by our sorrow at his loss. But all was not lost; he was succeeded as Cardinal by Bauhaus Supreme Marshal Toth, a man of true holiness, and war-like fervour.
After the overthrow of Algeroth, Cardinal Toth carried the war to the Dark Legion. Slowly, he pushed them back from the worlds they had conquered. Inevitably, the Brotherhood led mankind to victory. One by one, the citadels were cast down. Army by army the Dark Legion was defeated. Slowly, surely and steadily, mankind gained the upper hand and the forces of darkness retreated to the outer regions of the solar system.
It was inevitable that humanity should turn to the Brotherhood for guidance. Had not the Cardinal led humanity through its darkest time? Had he not given his own life to save his people? The people were sick of war, sick of corruption. They yearned for a new age and our Brotherhood showed them the way.
The great cathedrals were completed and became places of pilgrimage for the faithful. Cardinal Toth ordered the Chronicles of our Brotherhood to be inscribed on their walls. He issued other edicts designed to see that the darkness would be banished forever, and that the terrible age of inter-corporate strife would never again return. The three Edicts of Toth were simple: 1. No human shall attempt to make a machine that thinks like man. 2. No human shall travel beyond the orbit of Jupiter, lest they once again disturb the darkness. 3. No human shall ever seek knowledge of the darkness.
NEXT: THE AGE OF FAITH / PREVIOUS: FIRST SEAL OF REPULSION
He summoned the heads of all the Megacorporations and told them what was required of them. At first the balked, fearing to lose their ancient powers and privileges if they submitted to the leader of the Brotherhood. Cardinal Durand did not argue. He simply pointed out that with the Dark Legion triumphant they would lose everything anyway. The mighty masters of the Corporations pondered his words and saw that they were fair. They agreed to the Cardinal's plan. It was implemented that very day.
Throughout the armed forces of the Corporations, Inquisitors and Missionaries moved, preaching the Holy Word, shielding the soldiers from the darkness with the power of the light. Bolstered by the presence of the faithful, shielded from the Dark Symmetry by the light of the art, the armies of humanity finished their long retreat and began to make a stand.
No longer did the followers of the Darkness win easy victories over terrified foes. Now, they were met by stiff resistance, carried out by determined warriors who knew they were humanity's last hope and that even their smallest act of heroism might tip the balance in this cosmic conflict between good and ultimate evil.
Meanwhile the Cardinal summoned to his presence the elite forces of all the corporations and prepared them for battle. To his side, came the Sea Lions of Capitol, the Hatamoto of Mishima, the Venusian Rangers of Bauhaus and the Blood Berets of Imperial. They were reinforced by contingents of the second Directorate and spearheaded by the mighty Doomtroopers. It was the greatest gathering of heroes in the history of humanity. It needed to be. Cardinal Durand's plan was simple. He was taking them all to Venus, there to face Algeroth himself.
The Blessed One and the Apostle of War clashed on the field of battle. The warriors of humanity faced a gigantic Horde of Ezoghouls, Legionnaires, Nepharites and Centurions. Surrounded by his personal guard, the legendary Fury, Cardinal Durand cleaved a path of red ruin until he faced Algeroth. For a day and a night the Holy One and the Lord of Destruction wrestled. They fought on every level. Sacred Blade rang against Symmetric armour. Black bullets bounced off the Holy Vestments. Tidal waves of the Dark Symmetry sought to drown out the Light. At last the Cardinal had the mastery. Algeroth fled to within the heart of his citadel, and was pursued there by Nathaniel Durand.
There, in the Sanctum, before the very alter of Algeroth, the Cardinal vanquished the Demon lord of the Dark Technology but himself took a mortal wound.
Thus, in the midst of his greatest triumph, Nathaniel Durand was felled. Ever afterwards our rejoicing at his triumph was to be tempered by our sorrow at his loss. But all was not lost; he was succeeded as Cardinal by Bauhaus Supreme Marshal Toth, a man of true holiness, and war-like fervour.
After the overthrow of Algeroth, Cardinal Toth carried the war to the Dark Legion. Slowly, he pushed them back from the worlds they had conquered. Inevitably, the Brotherhood led mankind to victory. One by one, the citadels were cast down. Army by army the Dark Legion was defeated. Slowly, surely and steadily, mankind gained the upper hand and the forces of darkness retreated to the outer regions of the solar system.
It was inevitable that humanity should turn to the Brotherhood for guidance. Had not the Cardinal led humanity through its darkest time? Had he not given his own life to save his people? The people were sick of war, sick of corruption. They yearned for a new age and our Brotherhood showed them the way.
The great cathedrals were completed and became places of pilgrimage for the faithful. Cardinal Toth ordered the Chronicles of our Brotherhood to be inscribed on their walls. He issued other edicts designed to see that the darkness would be banished forever, and that the terrible age of inter-corporate strife would never again return. The three Edicts of Toth were simple: 1. No human shall attempt to make a machine that thinks like man. 2. No human shall travel beyond the orbit of Jupiter, lest they once again disturb the darkness. 3. No human shall ever seek knowledge of the darkness.
