The Order - 1. Chapter 1

Year 2010
A global recession wreaks havoc in international markets.

June 2011
Famine and disease spread worldwide. First-world countries barely meet their citizen's needs.
In light of these events, the global populace turns to its only reprieve: solace within religion.

With its new members, the Roman Catholic Church slowly gains power and wealth. Using this amassed wealth,
it purchases farmland from ailing second and third-world countries, thereby providing for its members and in return receives their trust.

Along with land, the Church begins to research ancient texts.

Two months later, war enraptures the world. The United Nations is dissolved. Vatican City remains a crowded, yet safe haven for its citizens.

Year 2012
The war between the Middle Eastern Front, composed East Asia and Africa, and the European Union is brought to an end by none other than the Church.

In this decisive battle, both sides were annihilated. The Church reveals the product of its wealth and research and development: large mechanical suits piloted by people. At its heart: the Emotion Core.

Within eight months, the world is pacified by the new superpower: the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church along with its weapon: the Crusaders.

Year 2013

The Church is abolished. From its ashes arose the Holy Order. A group of radicals with their foundation on the Bible. At its head, the Holy father.

With the establishment of the Holy Order, countries conquered by the Church immediately surrendered their sovereignty and the Order placed Cardinals at the head of these satellite country's governments. Those who refused to surrender soon found themselves at war and severly outmatched by the Order's army.

In order to survive, these rebels banded their countries and lay down their differences to repel the Order. The Rebellion was born. Consisting of those who believed in true freedom could not be achieved when people are so bound by the words of the Bible.

Thus, the flames of war raged anew.

Four years after the collapse of the global economy, war still holds the Rebellion and the Order in stalemate. The Rebels recovered documents on the workings of the Emotion Core and crafted their own machines. With the Rebellion unyielding, the Order began a new campaign against those they saw as impure, those they saw as too different. They were given the title 'forsaken' for they have forsaken the Laws and refused to change their ways.

As such, families and friends willingly betrayed each other as soon as they realized who had forsaken the Laws. The forsaken were then taken to 'correctional' facilities and kept there, in the vain hope that they could be cured, or at the very least segregated from society where they can no longer encourage others to follow.