This is my first rp based around a character who isn't Oranos. So I would really appreciate some comments this time. Thanks in advance

The Asmodai: Samael #1: Last Contract

Prologue

When they freed me from the Matrix I wouldn't believe the truth. I couldn't believe the truth. Human beings being used as batteries? "Impossible!" I said. Then they showed me the Fields. There was no disputing it after that. I wanted revenge on the Machines. My life had been a lie.

In the Matrix I was Samuel Baelson. A Priest. I believed that when I died I would go to Heaven. Not be fed to those still alive. If you can call it a life of course. I changed a lot after being awakened. I had lost my faith. Where was God if he had let this happen? He had let humanity hide themselves in a dark storm around the world. Did he not care?

I took the name Samael. Redpills generally give themselves a handle. They lose the names given to them by the Matrix. A sign of freedom I guess. Although Samael sounded a lot like my original name it had a deeper meaning. Samael means the "Venom of God". An odd name for a former Priest. But I no longer felt like a holy man. Humanity had fallen from grace, and Zion was its hell.

However, I joined Zion in battling the Machines. After all, this was their fault, or so I believed. In the Matrix I became an Assassin. I was deadly. I helped Zion by killing or hurting those who got in the way. Bluepills. Exiles. Even redpills who lost their way. Once a holy man. Now a murderer. And I enjoyed it. I could not explain why. Perhaps it was the petty idea that I was getting back at God, or that I was helping to make a better future.

Most redpills who worked in the Matrix joined a crew and then a faction. However, I didn't particularly feel close to anyone. I worked solo. People would recruit me to do the assassination, and then I would use their craft to jack in until I had finished the job. Then they would return me back to Zion. At first I did this for free. But after a while, I realized I could get things I needed. Clothes, food, etc.

My faith returned towards the end of the war. It wasn't faith for God however. They called him the One. He was going to end the war, or so they said. Some disregarded Morpheus' words as insanity, but I listened. He was a great man. Neo could break the rules of the Matrix and recreate them as he saw fit. He was a God within the Matrix. Surely he would be able to succeed.

And he did. He triumphed over that virus Smith. And there came a peace between human and Machine. A lot of changes took place. There were now redpills who allied themselves with Machines, exiles, and other groups. No idea why, but I guess in theory it would help keep the truce going. It didn't. It only put more strain on things.

It opened up a new line of work for me. Now that redpills could not often die in the Matrix, and were now in opposing groups, assassination in the Real became a business opportunity. I began to train my body in the Real. I was already in shape, but I began to hone myself so that the skills I knew in the Matrix could be used in the Real, to a lesser extent of course.

However, I once again find my faith waning. Neo gave us peace, and what do we do with it? Morpheus running around letting off bombs until he got himself killed. A new group of extremist Zionists who commit acts of terrorism in the name of Neo. He worked for peace and they ruin it. It's sickening. It seems most Zionists see the peace between Humans and Machines as a way of stalling until they can crush the Machines for good. This type of thought is stupid. Humanity already made the mistake of rejecting co-existence with Machines and look where it got them!

But that's one of the problems these days. No one will listen to each other. They are too busy believing what they want, and rejecting any other beliefs. What about me? Well I'll just continue my job. There is nothing else I can do, or is there?

The Asmodai: Samael #1: Last Contract

Part 2

"Hello?" The voice on the other end was a woman. What could she want at this hour? She sounded tense.

"I have a job for you Samael. You are well known in Zion for your skills."

"And who are you?" I was still aggravated about being woken up.

"I'd rather stay anonymous."

"Then I'd rather not help you!" I was about to hang up.

"Wait. You should hear me out."

"And why is that?"

"Do the job and the reward will be great!"

"What is this reward?" She had me interested.

"Oh that would be telling."

"Forget this. I don't play games!"

"This job should be nothing you can't handle. Hell, I'll bet you even have fun. You get a rush from the killing. The reward is just an extra bonus!" Who the hell was this? She was right. I had to take the job. It wouldn't be difficult anyway.

"Fine. What's the job and I'll think about it."

"A Machinist. He's called Oranos. You may have heard of him."

"He leads Guardians of the 7th Gate?"

"No. He used to. He's one of the heads of a new faction. Systematic Chaos. He's been going it alone in a hovercraft the past month or so though. You would just need to sneak on and get rid of him. So what do you say?"

"Why do you want him dead?"

"He killed people close to me. Let's leave it at that" She sounded like she was crying. "So you'll do it?"

"I'll see." I hung up.

The Asmodai: Samael #1: Last Contract

Part 3

I did my research. Although I told her I would think about it, I already knew I was going to do the job. Oranos was an interesting character. I hacked into many resources to try and get a full story, but there was no full story to be found.

He was awakened by a small crew called the Freelife. He was originally called Khao. This was where it first got interesting. Khao was wanted by Zion for murder. In fact I had been assigned to find him the day the murders had taken place, but I was unable to. How did I find out who he was? I had to hack into a Machine mainframe in the Matrix. This was dangerous work, but I think I managed it without causing suspicion. The file on Oranos also mentioned something about a failed project, but it was so highly encrypted I couldn't find anything about it. Infact, I suspect the file didn't exist on the network.

This first piece of knowledge gave me insight to something I wanted to know. It was now obvious that whoever had contacted me was someone from the Freelife. Now I had a clearer idea on the motive I felt better about my job. This failed project bothered me though. I didn't like factors that I couldn't control. If you're going to assassinate someone you want no surprises.

Something else bothered me. I found on the Machine mainframe that Oranos went to the Machine city for treatment not long ago. I could not find out what this treatment was for, but coupled with information from the Guardian's databank I can make more assumptions. The Guardians split after an argument between Oranos and members who were worried about his mental condition. It would be a safe assumption that whatever treatment he had was to do with this mental condition. However, this was another closely guarded secret and something that I would not be able to find out.

My "anonymous" Freelife contact had given me their last known location of his hovercraft, The Asmodeus. I was a little worried. She sounded like she was crying, and I'm sure she mumbled something along the lines of "That was where we found the body". I didn't question it, but I assumed they had sent someone else to deal with Oranos and they had failed. This was bad for me because it meant Oranos would be cautious.

I disliked making all these assumptions. I liked to be certain of what would happen in my job. However there were unknown factors that may have an effect on the outcome. Since God had abandoned me long ago, or I had abandoned him, I no longer liked to believe in things I couldn't see. Cold hard evidence. That was how victories were won. That's how I won.

Maybe I should have given up. I can't say I wasn't getting a rush from the challenge though. Had I become arrogant? I hoped not. That's how people die.

The Asmodai: Samael #1: Last Contract

Part 4

Using my own hovercraft, which I had been given as a reward for a pretty tough job a while back, I went to the location Oranos had been to last. It was doubtful that he had gone too far, unless his last encounter had scared him, but I doubted that. I searched around, and after a good few hours I found a hovercraft hiding in some debris. There was a good chance this was it. I could only scan one life in there.

Some would just blow the hovercraft up, but I needed to be sure he was who I was after. I was going to have to sneak on board, and this was where my talents would be needed.

Typically, all redpills follow a time zone based on when the lights of Zion go out. However, since he has not been a resident of Zion for sometime he may not follow the same time. I would wait until I think he is asleep, and then sneak on to the hovercraft hoping I'm right.

"Night" came, and I left my hovercraft. I silently entered his hovercraft. Everything was dark and silent. He was asleep, and I was lucky. It didn't take me long to find his sleeping room. He was in bed, his face covered by a sheet. Some people would feel bad about murdering a man in his sleep. To me it was just a fast end to a job. I took two of my knives out. Other than my body, knives are my favourite weapon. Guns are so impersonal.

I took the knife I held in my right hand, and plunged it into his head. He made no sound whatsoever. Jobs were never this easy. He was a decoy. I ripped off the sheet. It was nothing more than a bundle of sheets and clothes. Fooled by a cliché I thought.

"Heh, I wondered how long it would be before they sent someone else!" I turned to see a silhouette in the doorframe. I stabbed out at it with my left knife. Nothing was there. He was fast. "I was right to tell the Machines to watch out for a hacker. They told me as soon as they found you hacking their mainframe for information on me. I told them to let you go and I'd deal with you!" I couldn't tell where the voice had come from. I sensed movement to the left of me, and knifed in that direction. Nothing but air. I turned to get my knife from the fake Oranos on the bed, but it was gone.

"So you knew I was coming. This complicates things." I tried to stay calm, but I hated the way this was going. I heard the swish of a knife coming towards me. I only just moved out of the way. It grazed my arm. I knew where he was now, and I reached out with my own knife. I heard a shriek. I'd hit him. It wasn't a fatal blow though, because I heard him moving around me, waiting to strike again.

I heard the knife in front of me, and I struck out. Suddenly the lights came on. He wasn't in front of me. The knife had been thrown into the wall it appeared. Then a sharp blow hit me on the back of the head. A fist. I fell to my knees, my vision blurry. Another blow. I hit the ground.

The Asmodai: Samael #1: Last Contract

Part 5

I awoke to the smell of burning flesh. I was strapped to a chair. As my eyes came into focus I wondered whether I had gone to hell. I was on a road that looked like it could be in Downtown if it wasn't so cracked. The buildings surrounding me were on fire. The sky was full of red lightning, and I heard nothing but shouts and screams. Screams of pain.

Then something else caught my eye. On the left pavement there were four tombstones. I read them from left to right. Rosano, Nasoro, Orosan and Sonaro. They were all anagrams of Oranos. "Where the hell am I?" I muttered.

"This is a construct I created. It's...unfinished." The voice was cold and metallic. It was coming from behind me.

"And who are you?!" I already knew the answer even though he sounded different.

"I am Oranos." As he walked around in front of me I was shocked. His body looked pale and dead. His hair was white. There was a red glow in his eyes. He looked inhuman. Almost Machine-like.

"What the hell have you done to yourself?!"

"Oh this? It's nothing" He clicked his fingers and he suddenly looked normal again.

"So what now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Am I your prisoner?" How the hell could I escape? I was going to die here. He controlled this place. I was jacked in on his hovercraft. Only one group of people knew I was here.

"I haven't really thought about it. Do you want to be my prisoner?" Was he insane? He was toying with me. Trying to send me as insane as he was! I wouldn't break.

"No. I want to gut your throat and get out of this *poop* hole!" I spat at him. He waved his hand and evaporated it "Hmm, good answer. Ok. Go!"

"What do...?" I realized the ropes restraining me were gone, and I was now holding a knife. He wanted me to fight him. I ran at him taking a stab. He dodged, and ripped the knife out of my hand, throwing it into the fires. We began to punch each other. I was surprised that he was fighting fairly. This was his own construct after all. He didn't need to. He kicked me in the stomach, and sent me to the floor. He then conjured up another knife into his own hand. However he didn't stab me. He just stood there. "Kill me then! Finish it!"

"Why?"

"Because I came to kill you, but you won. You're a murderer so finish me off!" I couldn't understand him.

"I'm a murderer. Is that what they told you? That I'm a cold blooded insane killer?" He started to chuckle.

"Well you are aren't you? You've killed at least three people!" I was astounded when he actually started to count on his fingers, and mutter numbers to himself.

"I'd say four and a handful of bluepills. But you don't have the full story do you? You looked my name up but there were things missing. Failed projects, illnesses."

"So?"

"So let me explain myself. I've needed someone to chat to." He shrugged.

The Asmodai: Samael #1: Last Contract

Part 6

So he told me everything. He talked to me for an hour. He explained how his mind had been splintered because of the Smith virus, and how the part of his mind named Sonaro has caused him to kill many of the people he had been responsible for killing. He had killed Broomfondle, the member of the Freelife that tried to kill him recently, because he knew they would not stop chasing him. I could understand what he meant, but there were things I didn't understand.

"And why haven't you killed me?" I didn't understand. Was he going to torture me? Was he going to keep me here for the rest of my life?

"I don't really know. I healed the wounds I had caused during the fight, and then wondered what I would do next. I decided to put you into this construct so we could talk safely. I wanted to know some things." Ah so he needed information.

"What like?"

"Like whom you are. And who sent you? Something tells me you aren't a member of the Freelife." Well I could see no point in keeping the truth from him.

"My name is Samael. I'm an Assassin who works for Zion. I don't know who it was who gave me this job. Only that it was a she, and that she is a member of the Freelife."

"Interesting. And tell me, why do you work for Zion?" What trick was he trying to pull?

"Why do you care?"

"Why can't you answer?" Truth being told, I didn't know why I worked for Zion anymore. I was disgusted with many Zionist's behavior as of late.

"I believe people should be free." This was true at least.

"And what do you call freedom?"

"Freedom from the Matrix. Freedom from the Machines."

"Just that simple huh?"

"Well of course it isn't but..."

"You just go into the Matrix, free all the bluepills and destroy it. Hmm, good plan!" The sarcasm was blatantly obvious. "Here's how I see it. You free all the bluepills. Then what? You have millions of confused, naked, bald people waking up in their pods and wondering how the *CENSORED* they got there. Your first problem is getting them all to a warm place and explaining what the hell is going on. Never mind all the people that die from the stress."

"But..." He held his finger to his mouth and continued.

"Even if you did get past this problem, what next? Is everybody gonna move to Zion? I mean unless you guys have had some refurbishments since I last visited then you don't have room. Not only that, but you don't have the resources. History is an interesting thing. History is the future, because it repeats itself. What does History tell us Samael? It tells us that humanity is selfish, and arrogant. There will be wars over the resources. People will tear each other apart." I could see the logic in his argument.

"Then what do you believe Oranos?" I wondered what he would answer.

"I believe we owe the Machines a hell of a lot. We started a war with them. We lost to them, but did they kill us all off? No. They kept the human race going. Sure, they used us! But they kept us out of pain. Kept us without the knowledge of it. But the irony is the best. For centuries we used Machines. When I say Machines I mean things as simple as a toaster, to a black and white TV, to the Hovercrafts we use today. All Machines. Zion was fighting a war against Machines...WITH MACHINES! I find it hilarious. Don't you?"

"You didn't tell me what you thought about the future."

"Oh yeah. Well currently, we have humans using Machines, and Machines using humans. I see a vision of the future. Maybe I'm expecting too much from both sides, but I see both humans and Machines working together to restore the world to its former glory. Then us all living peacefully as one. I suppose it sounds like the ending of a cheesy film." I found myself respecting Oranos. He had the faith I once had.

"May I ask you a question Oranos?"

"You already did, but feel free." He smiled.

"Do you believe in God?"

"Interesting question. I guess there has to be something that created all this. What about you?"

"I was a priest as a bluepill. I lost my faith in God after being awakened. The way you spoke though. It sounded as though you had a lot of faith."

"I do Samael. Faith that there are some humans who aren't stupid enough to ruin the peace we're building. Zionists, more particularly, the group calling themselves E Pluribus Neo still believe that Machines should do humanity's bidding, and that Neo wanted them to destroy the Machines. Neo created peace. And look what they do?" It could have been taken straight out of my mouth.

"I agree."

"Then why do you still work for Zion?"

"I...I don't know." I really didn't.

"When I told you what I thought about freeing all the bluepills, I could tell in your eyes you were agreeing with me. Why don't you join me? I haven't been recruiting to this crew, but I don't know. You're a good person. You're just on the wrong path."

"And what? I suppose you'll leave me here for dead if I don't accept?"

"Now that hurts. If you don't want to you can go back to Zion, but you know what I said is true." What he said seemed right. My brain was questioning whether I should join, but it felt right. I had been tired of Zion. I disagreed with the way they were doing things. This man had a vision of the future, and it was a good one.

"Ok...I'll join. Perhaps you can show me this better path"

"Great. Let's get you out of this place."

"What is this place anyway? I mean I know you made it, but why?"

"Eh, I guess I can level with you, but keep it quiet. People still think I'm crazy as it is. When I was in the coma I told you about earlier, I found myself trapped within my own mind. Perhaps it was a dream, I'm not sure. Those gravestones you saw were personalities from my fractured mind. I was made to fight them all one by one, until I was beaten...by myself." I was beginning to reconsider. This man seemed crazy.

"Yourself?"

"That shell you saw me in when you first woke up. I have been trying to recreate the image I saw. I was a man, melded with a Machine. It was something I cannot describe. Anyway, whatever all of that was I believe it had meaning. I have pondered over it for a long time, but there are still many things I don't understand about it. I began to design this construct to find the answers."

"You are...an odd man Oranos."

"Well. Better than being called crazy."

The Asmodai: Samael #1: Last Contract

Epilogue

It had been a week since I joined Oranos. He had introduced me to the rest of the faction. I was surprised he trusted me seeing as I had tried to kill him. He didn't know who was out to kill him, but he didn't seem worried. He said they wouldn't give up, but neither would he.

I still don't have the faith I had as a bluepill, and perhaps I never will. I have a new faith. Not in Gods, or one man's power, but in the future. A future where co-existence is possible. As long as we can convince more and more of this belief then it is possible.