Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

26 posts · 2006-01-07 00:44:25 to 2007-06-07 00:04:59

#23700000219 01/07/2006 00:44:25 Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

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Three months ago…
Three months ago I was the engineer of The Arbiter, under the Network Imperium, a Zionist Faction that has a penchant for recruiting people that Zion would rather launch into the sky. Three months ago I was happy…as happy as I could get. Then one night it all changed…now look at me, sitting here, to some I’m a freak, to others I’m a monster, to some I’m even seen as The One. Whatever I am, I’m here, all alone, facing that rat **bleep** dead in his eye.
-ShadowGriever, memoirs

Segment 1: The Devil You Know

It was nine already, it was beginning to rain. Not even that cool rain, the humid muggy kind which would make even the calmest man uneasy. That doesn’t help things, especially when all the people in the room are already uneasy to start off with. There they were, representatives of the three organizations to discuss the new threat in the Matrix, the Cardinal. Representing the machines in this were Aggie and Oranos, Guardians of the 7th Gate. Also representing the machines were quite arguably the g7g’s mirror opposite, the Jokerz, their members were Nemesis and Toxic, quite possibly two of the more aggressive of the Dark Carnival. Also there were the representatives of the Merovingian, highly stylish, and highly mysterious. Xeros and Q, representing Les Enfants Terribles and Ingus with DrSmith, representing the Dark Mavericks. Many people in the room had a hard time dealing with anyone named SMITH in the same room. Finally, the Zionist delegation, the members were Shadowkilla, leader of the Digital Remnant, also from the DR was Statik. Rounding out the group was Rhyse and Pyxel, Leader and Second in Command of the Network Imperium.

“It’s God’s cruel joke you are the ones who started this meeting.” Aggie said, directing it to Rhyse. Q responded, “I didn’t know the machines believed in God, I thought they followed the teachings of the Almighty Microwave.” Nemesis was already on his feet. “At least I don’t answer to a **bleep** petty thief.” The Mervs and the machines were already on their feet an in each other’s faces. “Toaster oven!” “French Fry!” The two Zionist factions, tempted to just sit and watch, knew that this meeting needed to happen. But the moment they got in they were got attacked by an array of epithets themselves. “Try it, Cave monkey.” Said one of the Mervs. Before it came to blows a clap of thunder silenced everyone, the lights flickered on and off for several seconds. When the lights came back on full they saw him. His spikey white hair was matted down from the rain, the streaks of water coming off his Plum Tam Duster. Everyone stared at him silently, knowing that behind his purple shades were a pair of equally purple eyes staring right back at them. Although they may think differently about him, they know better than to make a move. “Sit…down!” Without a word they all move back to their seats. The Zionists take their seats as well, looking at him too. They knew by looking at him that they were not dealing with their friend “Shadow” Griever, but the program inside his mind. The Nephillim. They all stare at him attentively, not sure what he would do. For some in the machine faction he was seen as an anomaly, a mutation teetering on the edge of being scheduled for deletion. The Merovingian saw him as a new kind of Exile, but bad for business. The Zionists saw him as the possible return of The One, which made Griever mad.

His face lightened up, Rhyse and Pyx could tell it was Griever standing there now. He made a gesture to Rhyse to continue and stepped into the corner. Rhyse cleared his throat and began. “Well…now that that’s settled. We have all agreed to come here to discuss one thing…The Cardinal.” Another clap of lightning put an exclamation point to the name. “As many of you have noticed.” Shadowkilla continued. “Many of the Cardinal’s followers have been sprouting up, preaching his word for “The Perfect World” for those who want it. Now, from what Griever tells us this means The Cardinal wants to return this Matrix, which for arguments sake will be dubbed “ version 3.7” back to Version 1.0” “The paradise model.” Remarked Oranos. Rhyse jumps back in “All the while killing everyone he deems abhorrent. This means The Humans, who are physically abhorrent, the machines, who are aesthetically abhorrent, and the Exiles, who are morelly abhorrent.” Q asked “So in other words…” “…We’re all **bleep**ed.” Finished Aggie. “Exactly.” Finished Rhyse. Xeros raised his hand. “do we know where The Cardinal is based?” Pyxel responded. “All we know is that his operations are spearheaded by a group of seven known only as “The Sins”. Even less is known about them. From what Griever tells us there are seven of them, and that they correspond with the seven sins. Greed, Lust, Sloth, Gluttony, Envy, Wrath, and Pride.”

Nemesis finally spoke up. “And we know nothing about them?” “Only that Death follows them.” Said Statik for the first time. Aggie sat up.“So what do you want us to do?” Rhyse answered “Pool our resources, we need to focus on stopping the Cardinal and his people.” Ingus finally said something. “Tell Ingus…” it took everyone in the room a moment to realize he was actually referring to himself. “Is there anything that can stop him?” Without another word the entire room stared at it’s silent participant. Griever look back, his eyes still blocked by his shades. “Me.” Pyxel stood up. “We figure the best way to find the Cardinal is through the sins.” Another clap of thunder crashed through. “And how do you suppose we go about that?” “Well, we have a plan set up to catch one…” Before he could finish, Griever began to move. “I think they’ve found us!” Outside the wall length window, a large black image appeared, hovering in the rain. “RUN!” Before any of them could do anything the Helicopter fired. All of the people inside the room tried to find cover. As seasoned veterans they all knew that 13 unarmed men in a small conference room couldn’t take on an Apache helicopter. By all accounts they should have their fair share of holes in them. Then they looked up and saw what was protecting them. Griever, emitting a faded purple aura, shielded the room from the bullets. The gun turret stopped spewing out it’s contents for a brief second, the pilot considering his options. “Don’t be a fool, man. Give up.” Murmered Pyxel, peering over the upturned conference table.

Apparantly the pilot thought otherwise and began firing again, the bullets rippling off the shield like rain on a violet tinted puddle. The fear inside the office grew as the rocket launcher ignites. When the missle connected with the shield it sent Griever back towards the table, but he still maintained his focus on the shield. “Play times over.” He began to will the shield more towards the copter, fighting against the bullets. Finally he sent the shielf out like a wave, striking the helicopter. The sparks from the Apache became immediately visible. It started to swerve away, but not before firing another missile. The angle of this one was erratic, it was not possible for Grieve to shield them all…

As the rocket incinerated their virtual bodies, their minds auto-jacked out of the Matrix and back into their bodies on their Hoverships. “God **bleep**ing damnit!” Shouted Pyxel as Etheno unplugged him. “I can’t believe they knew where we were!”.” Rhyse was already out of his chair and at the monitors. “Well, I just received word from the other captains, they all got back to their ships safely.” “I guess that ends the peace talks?” asked Etheno. “Actually, Aggie and Nemesis both want to talk further.” “What about the Merv?” “Guys!” Pyxel’s scream for attention directed them towards Griever, who began coughing violently. Pyxel was trying to calm him down. “It’s ok, man, come on. Breath.” Slowly his breathing became normal. He slowly wiped away a streak of blood from his mouth. He calmly focused his purple-in-purple eyes at them. “Sorry about that back there.” Rhyse put his hand on Griever’s shoulder. “You did fine. The machines were impressed, they wanna meet.” He helpef Grieve up to his feet. “You gonna be okay?” asked Etheno. “I will be, we still on with the plan?” “SK’s already given the ok.” Griever nodded and slowly walked off of the deck and towards his room on the Arbiter.

Etheno went back to the control panel, monitoring the flow of the matrix, while Pyx and Rhyse went into the cockpit of the Imperium, the Network Imperium’s lead ship, able to carry all the other hovercraft. “He’s getting worse.” Stated Rhyse, referring to Grieve. “Yeah,” grunted Pyx “And what’s worse is I think he knows it. Ever since Mor…” “Don’t say his name Pyxel.” Rhyse groaned. “Well, it’s happened, no need to deny it. Mordain was taken over by The Cardinal, took his body and everything. We need to find a way to kill the Cardinal without killing Mord.” “Well first things first. We need to track down one of those little **bleep**s.” “Yeh, still don’t know how we’re gonna do it.” Rhyse sat up and switched on the controls, lifting the massive ship off the ground and through the tunnels of the Real. “Well, as Grieve said. ‘the sins are one dimensional, what gives them life can take it away as well. It can lead them to us like Moths to a flame.” “Do we know which moth we’re attracting.” “Greed.” Pyxel Groaned. “No wonder you didn’t tell me.” “why?” “We’re gonna have to shell out alotta $info for this.” Rhyse began to laugh. “Don’t worry, we’ll still have enough left over for you.”

End of Segment 1

There are only so many things in this world that scare me, one or two of them happen to bare the title of “Sin”
-ShadowGriever, memoirs

Segment 2: Pot of Greed

#23700000242 01/13/2006 21:43:06 Re: Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

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There are only so many things in this world that scare me, one or two of them happen to bare the title of “Sin”
-ShadowGriever, memoirs

Segment 2: Pot of Greed

Debir court had seen it’s bit of bloodshed, before being dominated by the Blackwoods it was the site of the first battle between the One and the Smith Virus, later dubbed “The Burly Brawl.” Because of the violent nature of the neighborhood, many don’t visit it. Many believe that because of the fight between Neo and Smith the area became unstable, and information nodes would appear at random, leading to those who could find them to siphon them, making them, in redpill terms “rich”.

“Oh there we are,” Said a short, stunted man behind his Node Locator goggles. “Almost found ya.” He was in the center of the court when he found what he was looking for. Like a glowing star of ones and zeros, the node glowed a bright gold. The small man looked around for any one else that might be in the area to spy on him. Satisified, he greedily went to work at the task at hand. Using his tools he began to siphon the information out of the node. “Ah, like coins from the sky!” he selfishly said. By the time he took in a thousand $info the sound of windows shattering were heard throughout the complex.

By the time the data miner could figure out what was going on, Rhyse, Pyxel, Lt, Commander Temsik, Etheno and ShadowGriever had surrounded him. The man was panicking. “Get away from it! It’s mine!” “Actually it’s ours.” replied Pyxel, twirling his guns in his hands. “We waited three days for you to show up.” Nervous, the man began to twitch. “what do you want.” “Information.” Replied Rhyse. The man shrieked in fear. “Not that information, you **bleep**ing leech, information on The Cardinal.” “Dunno where he is, you can’t make me!” He then noticed a wave of purple light coming from Griever. “Maybe we can talk this over.” Before they could all pounce on him, Greed threw a small marble on the ground, creating an explosion of smoke. Etheno’s voice was the first heard in the smoke. It quickly disappeared as it began to fan around Pyxel’s twirling guns. “Where’d he go?” asked Rhyse. They turned towards the western apartment building in time to see Greed land on the rood, to where they quickly followed. “Car, Midnight, he’s headed your way!”

Greed had made a dash over three rooftops, trying to get as much distance from the NI as possible. Just as he began to feel safe he heard gunshots come from ahead of him. As he slowed down another man appeared, attempting to drive a boot into his stomach. Much to the man’s amazement he shifted past his cross kick and continued running past. Soon, the machine gun wielding Car and his kung fu master partner Midnight were joined by the other five NI members. Panicking, Greed’s fingers began to move quickly, creating the green glow of matrix code combined with information. He produced a shotgun and began pumping shells towards his pursuers. They all took cover behind the rooftop access doors, which began to disappear in puffs of chalky brick with every shotgun blast. “Holy **bleep**!” exclaimed midnight. Rhyse peered around the corner, only to quickly return to dodge the blast. Without another word he reached into his coat pocket and produced his cell phone. “Statik.” Another shotgun blast, this one on closer to the access door, Midnight, Car and Temsik took cover in. “I’m fine, thank you. Do you have a fix on our location? Good, when you get in range you’ll see a short, fat man with a shotgun on the roof. No, Kayosss isn’t back. Just take him down. But we need him alive, repeat: we need him alive.” A second passes. “Thanks. See you in two.”

All of a sudden the next bullet was exclaimed by a bolt of electricity. “That was one of those rail rifles.” Shouted Car to the others. Pyxel was anxiously gripping his guns. “Seven of us and one of him and we can’t touch him, why?” A bullet shot through the door, just missing Griever. “Cause he’s using all his information to code items and weapons buffed up the *CENSORED*.” “you really think we can’t take em?” “Do you see ME making a move!?” As he said that, several loud blasts rocketed, after that, silence. Rhyse made several hand gestures towards the group. In tactical form the converged on Greed, weapons drawn, only to see that he was on the ground. Rhyse and Pyxel moved towards him. “Can’t…have…my…INFO!!!” Greed began to emit an Oragne Glow. Grieve was the first to respond. “Hit the dirt!” Everyone jumped out of the way as Greed’s body exploded in orange Code as he screamed “GREED!!” Rhyse immediately went for his phone and redialed Statik’s number. The phone picked up. “Statik I said we needed him alive!”

A voice not Statik answered on the other end.. “Smile pretty, boys” As he said that a rifle shot echoed through the neighborhood. Before he knew it Rhyse saw a small brass colored bullet an inch from his face. It was emitting a purple glow. Griever’s hand was turned out towards the bullet, allowing it to drop as he lowered his hand. “Owe you.” “not needed.” Pyxel moved towards the lesge and pointed to a far rooftop. “Guys up there!” They all looked up and saw a man carrying an unconscious Statik. As they moved forward, He let slip his unconscious hostage. All of NI hyper jumped up, with Temsik being the one to catch the body. They rest met their mysterious assailant on the ledge of the roof. “Hiya fellas.” They all knew who it was. “Skoalmint?” The legendary fighter did a small bow. “One and only.” Without another word he moved towards Midnight, and with blinding speed grabbed him and using aikido threw him off the roof. The yellow flash of his body autojacking out could be seen in the distant darkness of the alley. Car, who is midnights “code brother” took no time trying to exact revenge. He let loose both clips from his sub Dual Nishiki Tempests. Even at point blank range, the bullets didn’t even make a hole in him. Skoalmint just smiled as he flung a small knife, connecting with Car’s neck. He autojacked out almost immediately. Skoal jumped off the ledge to the roof to greet the other four NI members.

Etheno was to first to charge, but as he got close to punch his hand collided with something two inches in front of his target, like hitting a piece of safety glass. “You’re bugged!” Skoal quickly used Eth’s distraction to stab him in the chest, jacking him out of the matrix. Rhyse jumped up, apparently trying to land on Skoal, but the evade bug blocked him and sent him arcing over to the far end of the roof. He immediately looked at Griever, who was radiating with purple glow. “At last, I finally get to fight the purple eyed Griever.” Pyxel was ready to charge, but Grieve gestured him to stand back. “What do you want Skoal?” He looked at Grieve with a grin, “ I want a fight worth having. Do you think you can give it to me, freak!?” He exclaimed the last word. It didn’t take Grieve long to run towards him. Skoal threw a knife, but in a purple haze Grieve dodged it. “That’s it, show me your power!” Grieve, concentrating his power into his hand, connected with Skoalmints shield.

The two tussled for what seemed like a while. “Is this all you have, Griever?” Griever focused on Skoal’s eyes, looking for his reason for being here. Then he caught it, that orange glean. Losing his concentration, the purple glow around faded. “WEAK!!” Skoalmint did a spin kick, knocking him down. But before he could see it coming he felt two hot streaks move on his arms. He looked up and saw Pyxel, guns in hand. He looked at the walls on the roof and saw several signs of ricochet. “You wanna go, Skoal, let’s go!” Without another word Skoal turned around and jumped off the roof. Pyxel followed, only to see no signs of Skoal on the ground.

Later on in the Real, the Rhyse, Pyxel, Temsik, Etheno and Griever were all in the briefing room. “How did Skoal know about the trap?” asked Rhyse. “Only people who knew about that was us and the Digital Remnant.” Responded Etheno. “Regardless, we may have a spy in our midst.” Pyxel said bluntly. “What worries me more is how did Skoal get his hands on the Evade Bug?” Temsik looked over at Grieve. “Grieve, you’ve been quiet ever since we got back heh, more so than usual. What’s wrong?” Griever kept his eyes facing down at the table. “I know why Skoal is bugged, why we couldn’t touch him.” They all moved in to listen. “When I connected with the shield, my powers saw something in his eyes, an orange tint.” Everyone had a look of shock the moment he mentioned “orange”. Pyxel was the first to say something. “A redpill can’t be a…” Griever interrupted. “Apparantly they can, because Skoalmint is one of them, he is Pride... the indestructible Sin.”

End of Segment 2

“This world is a lie; it is nothing but a dream. And those trying to pull you out of that dream are only leading you into further darkness. The only way out is by abandoning this world, it’s “masters”, it’s “liberators” and it’s exiled “criminals”. The only way out, is to go back. Together, we will form a new eden.”
-Emissary of the Cardinal in Mara C, five seconds before being shot to death.

Segment 3: Very Bad News

#23700000294 01/27/2006 15:51:23 Re: Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

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“This world is a lie; it is nothing but a dream. And those trying to pull you out of that dream are only leading you into further darkness. The only way out is by abandoning this world, it’s “masters”, it’s “liberators” and it’s exiled “criminals”. The only way out, is to go back. Together, we will form a new Eden.”
-Emissary of the Cardinal in Mara C, five seconds before being shot to death.

Segment 3: Very Bad News

It didn’t take long for all the captains to assemble to the emergency meeting. Aside from Rhyse there was Pyxel, the commander and interim captain of the Arbiter; Temsik, lieutenant commander of the faction. Captain Etheno of the Lazarus, head of Technology; Captain Car of the Ascension and his first mate Midnight, the two worked as a pair; Captain Zemaj of the Rizzla; Captain Sacky of the Kashi; Captain Lancaster of the Phoenix; and Griever, who although wasn’t a captain his input was deemed valuable.

“Where’s Seavyan?” asked Pyxel. Everyone looked around. “dunno, don’t hear the sound of goats” Joked Sacky, which was followed by an eruption of laughter from everyone but Rhyse and Grieve. “Guys be serious here.” Groaned Rhyse. He stood up and pressed a button on the console on the table. The screen behind him showed a picture of Skoalmint. “Skoalmint is one of the most dangerous people to be ever freed from the Matrix.” He pressed another button showing three videos simultaneously. “Skoal has been with Zion, the Machines and the Merovingian.” Lancaster raised his hand. “Which organization was he working with before?” “From what we can tell he was working on his own. A…” “A man without a country…” Grieve said soberly. “Do we know why he joined the Cardinal.” Rhyse looked to Grieve, who stood up next to him. “Skoalmint is the arbiter of the Sin of Pride. He is one of the best, and he knows it too. He knows it to the point where normal redpill activity has apparently become a bore to him; he’s looking for the ultimate battle.” Car spoke up. “And you couldn’t hit him.” Grieve’s face dropped. “No, I couldn’t.” Most of the captains gasped in despair. “I hit him though.” Said Pyxel. “Yeah.” Added Tem, “I guess the Evade Shield only works on direct attacks. Since you actual fired at the walls the shield didn’t recognize the ricochet.” “Really?” stated Car. “I didn’t notice!” Both he and Midnight were sore from the fighting. “So what do we do now?” asked Etheno. Pyx put his feet up on the table. “Well, the Mervs and the Machines…” He twirled his finger in the air. “…would like another meeting, especially in light of Greed’s death.” “when do they want to meet?” asked Grieve. “They haven’t set a time. Until then we are all on standby.” Rhyse looked around. “Any Questions?” no one made a move “Dismissed.” Rhyse, Pyxel and Temsik waited for everyone to leave. “Do you really think this alliance will work?” Pyxel asked Rhyse. “I think we can get all the help we can get.” It looked like there was almost an “and” at the end of his sentence. “But we’ve got Grieve.” Stated Tem. “Gotta count for something, right?” Pyxel lowered his head.

Inside the Martial Arts simulator, a large Chinese Courtyard with nothing but clear blue water surrounding a small arena of sand in the middle. “A good martial artist does not become tense but ready.” Said Griever, standing diagonally to Midnight. “Not thinking… yet not dreaming, ready for whatever may come.” He broke out into a small kung fu kata, which Midnight copied. They both returned to the ready stance. Griever began to move into a more elaborate kata with Midnight following. “A martial artist has to take responsibility for himself and face the consequences of his own doing.” They began to move faster. “To have no technique, there is no opponent, because the word "I" does not exist.” Grieve froze with a punch cocked to his side, he stared at the water with his violet eyes. He looked at one of the rocks adjacent to one of the two bridges connecting to the island. “When the opponent expands I contract and when he contracts, I expand.” His hand began to shake violently. “And when there is an opportunity, "I" do not hit!” He released his punch, the force shattering the rock. “"It" hits all by itself.” Midnight looked in astonishment. “So that’s what the Nephillim can do.” “That was not his power, that was mine.” He replied. “You can do that too.” Midnight’s astonishment grew. Grieve looked at the rubble of the stone. He pointed his hand towards it and snapped his fingers. The rock restored itself in the glow of white code. “Try it.” Midnight lined himself towards the stone and entered the same stance Griever had taken. Grieve himself stood behind him with his arms behind his back. He could see that midnight was tensing up in the wrong way. “Don’t become tense…” He could see midnight struggling with it. He spoke again, but this time using the Nephillims calm voice. “Empty your mind. Become formless, shapeless, like water. When water is poured into a cup, it becomes the cup, if it’s poured into a bottle it becomes the bottle, if it is poured into a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can creep, crawl, flow or crash!” With this last word, Midnight Punched at the rock. A small, hairline crack formed on it. “Be water, my friend.” He finished with a smile. “It’s such a small crack.” “It’s a start.” Grieve, who although physically younger than Midnight treated him like a master would a student. His smile quickly changed. “What?” Grieve immediately turned around and ran towards the pool of water. Midnight could hear the hacking coughs. He slowly approached grieve, looking over his shoulder and seeing the blood dilute in the clear waters. Midnight looked up to the sky. “Ivan get us the hell out of here!”

An hour later, Sacky had finished examining Griever. The whole med lab smelled of smoke and herbs. Sacky, along with a good part of the faction believed in “alternative medicines.” “Well” sacky said in a more bass voice than usual as he took in a drag of his joint. “Your condition has become increasingly worse.” “Tell me something I didn’t know sacky, like how long do I have?” Sacky’s face dropped. “Your condition worsens everytime your body is jacked in. At this rate, I say if you if don’t stop now you could be in a coma in six plug-ins, maybe less, maybe more than just a coma.” “I can’t stop though. I have to see this through.” Sacky took another toke. “Rhyse is going to ground you when he hears this.” “Sacky…don’t tell him.” Sacky looked at him with glazed eyes. “But…” All Grieve had to do was stare at him with those purple eyes. “…not a word, Grieve.” Griever got up. “Just promise me one thing?” “Sure?” Sacky took another toke. “Can I get your CD collection when you go?”

Griever sat in his room, looking over a screen of information on the Cardinal and what little of the Sins there were. He quietly contemplated plans of attack, knowing that he may not be around to implement them. In the silence of his room, he could hear the murmur of the Nephillim. “I’m sorry.” It seemed to say. He began to weep harshly, covering his eyes. When he removed his hands he saw that his screen had gone blank. “Knock Knock, Grieve.” If his eyes had pupils, they would’ve widened. “You are in danger.” It spelled out. “I can help you, if you want it.” “Go to Debir Courts again…She wants to meet with you again.” The screen turned back onto it’s original display. He got up and ran towards the cockpit, and ran into Pyx and Rhyse mid way. “We got a similar message.” Rhyse said. “Told us you had to go alone.” Grieve stopped, and remembered what Sacky had said. “I…” he hesitated. “…when can I jack in?” “Right Now.” Grieve’s eyes looked dead ahead, a single tear trickling down his face. Both Rhyse and Pyxel interpreted the tear correctly. “I must see the Oracle.”

End of Segment 3

“Why did this have to happen? Why does everyone I care about have to either die or be sent to this **bleep** ward?”
Leka’s personal diary upon Griever’s entry to the terminal wing in Zion

Segment 4: The Need to Feed

#23700000996 07/02/2006 07:12:17 Re: Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

“Why did this have to happen? Why does everyone I care about have to either die or be sent to this **bleep** ward?”

Leka’s personal diary upon Griever’s entry to the terminal wing in Zion

Segment 4: The Need to Feed

“How can we even trust this guy?” asked Sack. “We can’t.” Pyxel replied. “But if it’s true, the Oracle can help us.” The two of them continued to walk down the corridor silently until Pyx broke the silence. “I know Grieve’s dying.” Sacky stopped in his tracks. “He made me promise not to say anything.” “I know, but I can see it in his face. He knows he may not be coming back from this.” “Are you going to let him go in?” Pyxel closed his eyes. “Don’t have much of a choice…do we?”

Many of the faction was sitting in the Loading Deck, waiting for Griever to dive. He solemnly took a seat in the loading chair. “When you get back I’ll have some punch and pie waiting for ya.” Said Simia. He smiled at her. “Can’t wait…”He lied back as Ivan approached. Ivan grabbed the jackin plug and inserted it into the back of Grievers head. The faction, including Rhyse and Pyx, watched as Grieve’s face jerked. Rhyse’s heart sank for a second. Simia quickly jumped up to her seat infront of the loading screen. “Ok, he is being sent to Debir Courts in Mara south central.” Rhyse sat down in an adjoining chair and closed his eyes, muttering a prayer.

The moment the plug connected with the jackin hole in his head, the green code of the Matrix began to wash over him. Slowly forming into the apartment courtyard in Mara. He had been there only yesterday, but it felt different to him. It was empty, except for the usual flock of crows that surrounded the courts, waiting for old ladies to feed them bread. He sat down at one of the benches. He waited, patiently.The entire area was dead silent, usually you could hear the sounds of fighting from the hardline in Mara, but today nothing seemed to enter here. Finally he noticed something moving towards him. What seemed to be a woman in a green. She was holding a green umbrella in her hand, blocking the sun from her face. He stood up, but his face suddenly dropped when he realized it wasn’t the old woman he was expecting. She had the same face, hair and clothing as the Oracle, but her eyes, those orange eyes told him everything. She quickly placed the umbrella in front of her and twirled it for a moment, removing it and showing a body wrapped in a black leather cloak. “hello Nephillim.” The voice was indistinct, it couldn’t be identified as male or female. “Lemme guess, a Sin?” It nodded in affirmation. “Envy?” “Very good.” “I’m getting better at this.” “I bear a message from the Cardinal.” Griever’s violet eyes rolled. “Let’s hear it.” “His grace the Cardinal wishes for you to reconsider his offer, join him and help create a perfect world for all sentient beings.” “Or…?” “OR…face the fate of all those who don’t hear his word.” “Lemme think about that.” In a split second Griever sprung into action, immediately giving a crosskick. Envy blocked and the two went into a rapid succession of martial arts moves. They stepped back from each other. “You are wonderful!” Envy exclaimed. “I wonder, did you learn those moves from your old captain, Zeldar?” In a shimmer Envy’s form changed into that of Zeldar, the original captain of the Arbiter. “Still in a coma is he?” Grieve’s hands began to clench, his eyes began to glow. “Come on, boy. Bring it.” Envy charged at him. “Big mistake!” Grieve shot a wave of purple energy, launching Envy up and out of the courtyard. Just as he was convinced that the Sin had reached the simulated stratosphere he felt a sharp pain on his neck. The pain was so excruciating that he didn’t even feel the blow to his back that sent him into the apartment wall. His eyes had glazed over; whatever bit him had drained him of energy. “Interesting.” Said a deep, modulated voice. “Nephillim’s energy tastes like…strawberries.” Grieve could feel the sensation in his mind click, the Nephillim was taking over.

“**bleep** me!” screamed Simia as she watched the coded screen show what was going on. Etheno looked on. “We need to get in there!” He yelled. No sooner had he said that did the klaxon alarm go off. Rhyse jumped into the **bleep**pit and turned on the display. “Sentinels, hang on guys, we gotta go!” Etheno shouted back. “But what about-?” “can’t risk anymore inside!” With that the he powered up the ship as everyone took their battle stations. Simia stayed with Grievers body while they tried to fend off the Sentinels.

His eyes focused, he could see a man, he reminded him of a Blooddrinker, but his hair was messy and wilder, his skin was darker than the vampiric programs too. Somehow…this man was both vampire and lupine programs. “Gluttony…” The Sin took a small bow. “A Drinker and a Lupine? That must’ve been a party.” Gluttony grinned. “What you see is not the result of intermingling. I am not the end, I am the beginning. I am the first Damned, the progenitor of both blooddrinkers and lupines. Two races bred to hate each other, bound by one common goal, the need to feed on the code of others in the Matrix.” “Fascinating story.” Grieve pulled out a revolver and quickly fired it’s contents into Gluttony’s chest. The Sin just stood there as the bullet holes riddled his body. “That’s a strange weapon. Mateba?” He asked, completely ignoring the fact he had been shot. Grieve gave a small nod. “Autorevolver, silver bullets…” Gluttony walked up to him and gave him a sharp right. “Silver does not affect me,” He gave him a hard left. “nor wooden stakes.” “Nor tap water!” If Griever’s jaw was real, it would have been shattered by the uppercut. Gluttony’s strength had rocketed him onto the roof of the building. Before he could compose himself he heard the Sin land right next to him. Gluttony picked him up, lining him up for his next shot. This punch was so hard it had launched him from the roof of Debir Court all the way to the door step of Mara Congregational Church.. “Keep it up, **bleep**.” Griever whispered as he crawled through the doors.

This was Griever’s home turf. When he was the bluepill known as Jason Ixios he was raised in Mara. A writer with a lot of imagination, he studied literature under Sister Margaret. “Sister!” He screamed into the church. He could see her run out of her office. “RUN, a Sin is coming!” She immediately ran out of the church. The door exploded as Gluttony charged in. “Time to for the last bite.” Griever, still drained from the bite, began to crawl towards the altar. “Run little mouse, I have all the time in the world.” He mused as he stalked towards his prey.

“What the **bleep** are they doing?” Shouted Rhyse. Pyxel was checking the monitors. “They aren’t advancing, they’re just chasing us.” He looked back at the loading bay and back at the monitors. “They don’t want us to help Grieve.”

“The Cardinal will reward me from your demise. Perhaps he will give me the Oracle’s little orphan girl, Sati. It’s been a while since I had Indian food.” As Gluttony talked, Grieve has pulled himself onto the stone altar. “**bleep**, they shoulda made you Pride from all you’re talkin’” He turned on his back, trying to face Gluttony. The Sin was right over him now. “Any last words?” Almost on cue, the glaze from his eyes faded and his body stopped trembling. With the speed and strength of the Nephillim Griever grabbed Gluttony by the throat and threw him on the altar, holding him down with one hand. “You’re not very **bleep**ing bright, ya know that!? Like all of your kind, you’re still the Damned. And look where we are: a holy place.” Gluttony’s eyes shrank in realization. Without another word Griever began to emit a purple energy, surging it into Gluttony.

The moment Griever had trapped Gluttony the Sentinels in the Real broke off and retreated. Everyone returned to the LoadingBay to look at what Simia had been witnessing the whole time. Grievers body had been convulsing in his chair. Finally a huge burst of blood spurted out of his mouth…

At the Mara Central hardline Skoalmint stood amidst the bodies of the operatives he dispatched, listening to the sounds coming from the church. “GLUTTONY!!” A final flash of Purple light blew out the windows of the church. Skoal took in a heavy sigh. “Kid has more juice than I thought.” He noticed something behind him, quickly turning around he aimed his gun at a woman who had just appeared out of nowhere. “Still keeping an eye on me Sloth?” She nodded her head. “I take it your sentinels did their job.” She had a wry smile and nodded again. “hmm, lets go see the damage.” They walked through the rubble and wreckage of the church, knowing the Agents will be there soon to investigate. They looked at the altar and saw nothing, no sign of either Gluttony’s remains or of Griever…who should have been there.

But out on the Real the Network Imperium looked on Griever, as he slipped into a coma…

End of Segment 4

“It’s the same song, just a different verse…”

-The Oracle

Segment 5

The Prophet

Message Edited by Shadow Griever on 07.02.2006 11:12 AM

#23700001039 07/05/2006 03:52:52 Re: Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

Sorry to break the flow but awesome peice of work SMILEY

#23700001044 07/05/2006 14:44:27 Re: Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

by all means, mak comments, my story can be made better that way

#23700001045 07/05/2006 14:53:14 Re: Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

“It’s the same song, just a different verse…”

-The Oracle

Segment 5

The Prophet

Within the hour they had Griever headed towards Zion. Rhyse, Etheno and Sacky had gone in the Imperium while Pyxel and Temsik stayed in the Sublimitas to investigate what had happened. Rhyse was greeted at the docking hanger by Leka, who was better known to the world as the operative “Sharred” before retiring from the faction. She had become the head of the Medical Department after Griever’s former captain, Zeldar, had slipped into a coma saving him. “Should have seen this coming.” She muttered to herself as they rushed him into the emergency wing. “Not now Lock!” shouted Rhyse at the head of Zion command, who was about to intercept the gurney. As they got in the wing Leka told Rhyse and Etheno to leave while she and Sacky examined Griever. They waited in a small antechamber near the wing, it was here where Lock came in, full of bluster. “Don’t you dare tell me to…” Rhyse was already on his feet and in Lock’s face. “Don’t you dare argue this while one of my own is in there! Don’t you **bleep**ing dare!” “To think the council let you back in the Matrix.” “That’s enough Lock!” They all turned around to see Councillor Hamann at the door, his face flushed with both sorrow and rage. “If it weren’t for the NI the Cardinal would have full control of the Matrix and we would all be dead. That boy...” He exclaimed those last two words while he pointed at the emergency room doors. “That boy is the only reason any of us are alive, so stop complaining.” Lock was in a state of shock, so too was Rhyse. Neither had seen the councillor this angry before and neither knew how to react. The rage in his eyes seemed to die down. “If you don’t have any other business I suggest you leave now.” Lock seemed to hesitate for a moment, still in shock, but he silently walked out of the waiting chamber. Hamann looked at Rhyse, “are you alright, Rhyse?” He finally sat down. “Nothing a month swimming in alcohol can’t solve.” Hamann sat down next to him, Etheno kept his distance, not sure what to do. They all were silent after that.

Back in the matrix, Pyxel, Temsik, Zemaj and the rest of the faction began to investigate what caused Griever’s coma. They decided to check the church No sooner did they walk through the doors they were greeted by three Agents, two in the middle of the aisle and one talking to Sister Margaret. Although most of the Agents looked almost identical, every Zion operative was able to identify Agent Gray, who was the one talking to the exile nun. Both the Agents and the members of the NI looked as if a fight was about to break loose, but with a quick word from Sister Margaret, Gray ordered the Agents to stand down and to allow Pyxel and Temsik to pass. Midnight, Car, Lancaster and Zemaj took a seat in the back pews. “Mr. Illuminai, Mr. Porter.” Gray addressed to Pyxel and Temsik respectively. Both flinched when their real surnames were mentioned. They instead focused their attention to Sister Margaret. “I saw what had happened. Jason…Griever.” She had to stop herself from saying his bluepill name. “He had grabbed Gluttony and had him on the table. Then I saw it, this bright, purple glow.” She looked like she was going to break down in tears. “Then they were both gone.” Pyxel and Temsik both showed compassion to her while Agent Gray merely stood stone-faced. He cleared his throat and began to speak. “A full investigation will be conducted in the Matrix.” Pyxel glared at him. “**bleep** right there’s going to be an investigation! Our friend could die!” Gray remained stone-faced. “There is not need for emotion. The Nephillim program embedded in Mr. Ixios’ brain is integral in defeating The Cardinal. If Mr. Ixios…” “His name is Griever!” Pyxel exclaimed. “Gentlemen!” called a voice from behind them. They all turned and saw one of the reasons why redpills joined the Machines: Agent Pace. The first female Agent created in the Matrix. She was also more emotionally adept of the Agent programs. She strolled passed the captains in the back of the church, giving them the slightest nods. Every one of them were star struck by her. The first two Agents stepped aside for their superior. She looked directly towards Pyxel, Temsik and Grey.

“We can help each other in this situation.” She said. Pyxel was already at attention. “Ma’am, I just want you to know that it is an honor to final meet you and that this isn’t the only time we have inner-org relations…” Temsik interrupted him by planting an elbow in his rib. Agent Pace smiled back at them. The only person who wasn’t enjoying this exchange was Grey. He placed his hand to his ear piece, the other two Agents did so as well. “Agent Pace, we seem to be having connection problems, is connection functioning?.” She placed her hand over her earpiece. “No, mine is functioning normally. Let me run a diagnostic on yours.”He pulled his earpiece out and handed it to hers. “Stop!” Came a voice from the distance. Gunfire rang through the church. Sister Margaret did the smart thing and ran into the back room. After they dodged all the bullets, they looked towards the entrance, and there they found an unexpected guest. “Seraph…” whispered Pyxel. The Agents had their earpieces back. “It’s him…” said one. “The Fallen One.” “Stop him!” Shouted Pace. The two Agents charged after the Exile, who quickly knocked took them out in a blaze of martial arts kicks. “That isn’t Pace.” He said in a voice so calm that you couldn’t tell he just fought two Agents. Everyone looked at Seraph and then to Pace and then back to Seraph again. “That’s ridiculous!” she said. “Then explain who’s talking to Grey on his earpiece.” They all looked at Grey, he was listening to his earpiece and looking at Pace. In a fast, fluid motion, he took out his gun and put it point-blank to Pace’s head.

“Agent Pace has just called in, she was being held in the 01 construct.” Pyxel and Temsik pulled out their guns at her now. The faux-Pace looked at Seraph. “Tattle tale!” Her body shifted into the ambiguous Sin of Envy. “Get it!” commanded Seraph. A loud explosion went off, covering the place in smoke. When the smoke cleared Envy was nowhere to be seen. “**bleep**ing Sins!” screamed Pyxel. Seraph approached them. “You rescued the real Agent Pace, explain?” “She told me to.” They didn’t need another explanation, or to whom he was referring to. “She also wants me to show you something, but first, we need someone.” He motioned towards the back office. “Sister!” cried Temsik, “It’s all clear!” Cautiously, the Program emerged from the office door, noticeably shaken by everything that had been going on. “Follow me.” Without another word, Seraph walked out the side exit, Temsik, Pyxel, Grey and Sister Margaret following behind. The exited the church, facing the Hypercube monument, it’s red squares linked together. It was a pastime for many redpills to climb and to fight on the top of the monument.

“Tell us about the monument, sister.” Seraph asked. Margaret try to compose herself, but her voice still betrayed her nervousness. “The Sculptress created it, it’s said to represent the Seven…” She stopped talking as she looked at the statue. Seraph and Grey were also looking intently. “What?” asked Temsik. Pyxel, pointed to two of the squares. Those two squares were oddly colored a darker shade of red than the other two. Inside each square was a person. “Greed and Gluttony!” Temsik exclaimed. Pyxel had figured it out. “Sins…this statue represents the Sins!” “And there are five left.” Continued Seraph. “We will investigate this connection further.” Replied Grey. “We will be informed of our findings.” “You mean, what you deem appropriate for us to know.” Stated Temsik. Grey said nothing and walked away towards his black sedan. “Does the Oracle have any information on Grieve.” Seraph lowered his head. “The Oracle says that there is nothing she can do for him, if he is going to come back, it is up to you to do so. I am sorry.” He bowed to the two of them. “Sister, come with me.” Sister Margaret followed him as he pulled a set of keys from out of his sleeves. Using one of them on the church door, he opened the door to the white hallway. Pyxel and Tem knew better than to follow him after it closed. “Well that led us no where, fast.” Sighed Pyxel. “No, I think Grey is actually going to get in touch with us soon, I think Seraph bought us an opening by saving Pace. Still…” “Yeah.” Pyxel said, “Grieve.” “What can we do?” “I don’t know, but Seraph said that it’s up to us, and we if there is a chance to bring him back.” Pyxel removed his guns from his holster and fired them both at the squares holding the faded images of Greed and Gluttony. “I’ll take it.”

Back at Zion, Leka was fast asleep at Zeldar’s bedside. Ever since he was first admitted she stayed with him. By now it was an accepted fact and the medical team let her stay there. Now she had two people under her care. Six hours, Six hours of testing. She had tried to contact Griever virtually, diving into his mind the way people dived into the Matrix. She couldn’t get anywhere with him. Frustrated, she came here and dived into Zeldar’s mind. Many believed that the damage done to Zeldar would leave him catatonic for the rest of his life and that it would be easier to unplug him, but Leka persisted. There were fragments of Zeldar’s mind left, and in there she found a memory. It was of Zeldar’s parent’s, both took the redpill when he was still a boy, they were killed by the Merovingian. He had been forced to take the red pill to escape being captured. He became angry at the whole world, Zion, Machines and the World, because they were all responcible of for taking his parents away from him one way or another. Because he never had the chance to bury them, and as a place to hide, he created a mental construct of a hill where two burial markers were placed under a cherry blossom tree. Leka liked this scene and found solace here as well. She sat there. “How can I save him?” she asked. “How can I bring him back?” “The Prophet.” Came a voice next to her. To her absolute shock, it was Zeldar. “How?” “You must find the Prophet.” “Zeldar…” Before she could say anything else, he stopped her just by smiling. “Thanks, Sharred.” In a flash, her mind was sent back to her body. It took her several seconds for her mind to realize that Zeldars vitals had flatlined. A medical team were already running into the wing, but Leka topped her with a wave of her hand. With her face down, she turned off the machine. “Put him in the gardens next to his parents.” Her voice was devoid of any human emotion. She raised her head, revealing a cold, emotionless expression. She walked right past the medical team and headed for The Imperium, she knew what had to be done.

End of Segment 5

“Did you face this choice as well, Neo?”

-ShadowGriever, Memoirs

Segment 6: Living Dead Girl

#23700001078 07/10/2006 20:24:55 Re: Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

##Welcome to Network Imperium Archives...
##Enter Username:
##********
## Enter Password:
## *******
##Unknown Login Entry...
##Accessed Denied
##Using ProgramNeb 1.7
## Accessing %.............. Granted.../
## Begin Transmission...

“Did you face this choice as well, Neo?”

-ShadowGriever, Memoirs

Segment 6: Living Dead Girl

“What’s the Prophet?” asked Etheno. It had been less than an hour since Leka had walked onto the ship and told them of Zeldar’s death. Rhyse has accepted that fact months ago, and was almost relieved to hear that he finally let go. Leka showed no emotion as she told them of her vision in Zeldar’s construct. “I remember something about the Prophet from when I was with the Oracle, I don’t remember what though, she said it only in passing.”“Too bad all we’ve heard from her is ‘you’re on your own’” Rhyse replied, “so who else would know about the Prophet?” “At least one, but you’re not gonna like it…” Rhyse looked at him “…Mon Ami.” Rhyse’s head tilted back til only his throat and chin were visible. “**bleep**!” was the only word that came from his mouth. It took him a moment to gather himself together. “Well, call Pyxel and tell him to go to Hell.” “ I tell him that everyday.” Rhyse suppressed a smile at the joke, Leka barely flinched. The moment was interrupted by a very distressed Sacky. “Where the **bleep** have you been?!” shouted Rhyse. “You guys have to see this!” He directed them all out to the docking area, where the lights beganto crackle and pop. An emergency announcement began to broadcast. “All Civilians are to evacuate to the Caves, We Repeat, all Civilians are to evacuate to the Caves. All Zion Command Personnel are to go to the CommandCenter, Repeat, all Zion Command Personnel are to…”

Rhyse, Leka , Etheno and Sacky made it to the center just as Lock was getting ready for a debriefing. He was flanked on one side by Tyndall and Anome on the other. “I’ll make this short and sweet, someone has hacked the mainframe.” Everyone was stunned, the unthinkable had happened, someone had broken into the Zion Mainframe, the central hub of control for the city, including it’s defenses and life support. “We do not know who is responcible for this, we are investigating this with limited resources. We…” and aide came up to Tyndall, who quickly moved to Lock, whispering the message to Lock. “We ask that all personnel try to keep the peace until this is settled, individual orders will be given shortly, you are all dismissed.” Before the others could move, Tyndall spoke “Will the members of the Network Imperium please remain.” Rhyse let out a low growl, he felt that somehow they were going to be blamed for this somehow. Once everyone else had left, Lock spoke. “There is a transmission for you, we don’t know from who. He says he can help but he won’t say anything unless you’re there.” “Put him on.” Lock looked over to Anome, who began to punch a few buttons. A monitor on the wall clicked on, revealing an image of a person, heavily distorted by static. “As you all know, time is against us, so I’ll be as brief as possible. I will say that I am sorry about Griever, but I sent him the message because I felt that it was necessary. What is to come depends so largely on him, that I had to be sure he was prepared. He is not beyond hope, but it is up to you and him to bring him back. As for the problem you are facing, the mainframe has been invaded by the Sin of Sloth, she and whoever is helping her have begun the immediate take over of Zion in a maneuver to eliminate Griever while in his vulnerable state…” A surge of interference swept across the TV. “I can no longer stay on, I wish you the best of luck…” The Screen was fully engulfed in static. “Thanks for the help.” Murmered Anome. Before anyone could do anything, Leka was off, running out of the command center. Everyone followed her to the Controller’s Jack-In station. She began to punch in a series of commands on the loadout screen. “What are you doing?” “Etheno, I want you to monitor what goes on, when…WHEN I get control of the system, call Pyxel and tell him to go to Club Hell to get all the information he can.” Rhyse stepped forward to one of the other chairs, “So where are we going?” Leka paused for a second and then continued to type her screens. “If everything is still working, Zion’s main Construct: The White Room.”

Like the name implied, it was a big, white room. No discernible dimensions, it could probably go on forever if you tried to measure it. “Where is Sloth?” Rhyse said, checking his silenced gun. Leka didn’t have a gun, mostly because she WAS a weapon. She looked behind Rhyse and saw her. She was average height, with blue hair. She was wearing an office skirt with a bright blue blouse, looking very professional. “You’re Sloth?” Rhyse asked. “She doesn’t say much.” Came a voice from the distance. As it approached, they were horrified to see who it was. “Matter of fact, she can’t say anything at all.” “Statik?” It was Statik, the member of the Digital Remnant. “You betrayed us, you sold your soul out to the Cardinal!” Rhyse was fuming with sheer hatred. “Save it.” Leka said, her voice still cold. “It’s not him.” Statik jumped back in shock, but his face slowly formed into a smile as he formed into the neutral form of Envy. “You are the best, aren’t you Leka?” “Where is he?” she asked. “Oh, Statik, he’s in Mobil Ave. Funny thing is, we didn’t even put him there. But eh, I’m sure he’ll keep the Nephillim company for a while!” Before anyone could react, Envy charged at them. Rhyse opened fire but couldn’t connect. Leka remained still as Envy kept getting closer until it launched in the air, preparing to do and extreme falling kick. Before it could connect, Leka hacked the area around Envy, rooting it in that position. Envy started struggling, without an inch of code moving. “Sloth!” It cried. Rhyse turned around, and saw the silent Sin disappear. The panic in Envy’s eyes was visible from a mile away. It’s voice was at a high pitch with panic “ If you kill me, Zion goes too!” Envy’s coat slipped off, revealing a massive Viral Bomb wrapped around its torso. Leka took one look at the bomb and looked at Rhyse. “Go back, tell Etheno to send that message and tell him to pull Griever out of Mobil.” Rhyse was confused, but then he understood what she was thinking. “Leka…” “Rhyse…PLEASE, This is the only way.” “No…NO!!.” Without another word, Leka waved her free hand, disrupting Rhyse’s connection and forcing him to Jackout. She then did a quick extra hack and block him or anyone else from coming in. “Now…let me show you something.” The white room began to fade, color began to emerge in varying places. In a blind rush, the room turned into the cemetery construct from Zeldar’s mind. Envy’s panic grew. “What…what is this place?” “I heard that you took Zeldar’s form so you could play with Grieve’s mind. I thought it only fitting that you know more about him.” She looked around, “But this won’t be where you’ll end, this isn’t your final resting place.” She began hacking the area again. Suddenly, large, flat rectangles began to form around the two of them, each with a very sharp, reflective surface.The area became a hall of Mirrors. Leka dropped Envy onto the floor. “You have spent your existence living as other people. It’s time you looked at the real you.” Envy couldn’t evade its image, no matter where it went, it saw itself. In reaction, it began to convulse, in the mean time, he activated the viral bomb. He began to speak, but kept getting stuck. “I…I..I..I…I..” “Oh, it’s always about you isn’t it.” Finally the convulsions went into it’sfinal pitch as the bomb went off “ENVY!!” The bomb exploded, the entire virus transferred to the mirrors, the sheer power shattering them into shards of glass. Leka’s body, taking full force of the blast, collapsed next to the funeral marker.

“NO!” shouted Rhyse, as Leka’s vital signs flatlined. “I’m sorry Rhyse, it’s too late. She’s gone…” He began to weep violently. Lock, Tyndall, Sacky, and Anome were stunned into silence. “God….**bleep** IT!!!” Shouted Rhyse. He held onto Leka’s body. “You stubborn **bleep**! You didn’t have to kill yourself. What about the people here who cared about you, what about us!” He collapsed on her body. Still sobbing. “I’m sorry Rhyse.” Lock said silently. Tyndall looked at Anome. “If Statik didn’t give Sloth the codes to the mainframe, who did?” “I did.” It was a voice from the intercom system. The voice immediately silenced Rhyse’s sobs, and shocked Etheno and Sacky. Anome went to the intercom. “He’s on the bridge.” Rhyse was already on his way to the central bridge, where he stopped. It was him, exactly the way he was three months previously, except that his hair had grown wild, and for the all orange eyes. “You look like hell, Brian.” He said, with a grin on his face. “I guess I have you to thank for that…Mordain”

End of Segment 6

Club Hell? Oh! I thought I forgot one!

-Seavyan, on clubs he’s had a fight in.

Segment 7

The Depths and Hell

#36300024562 08/14/2006 20:29:48 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

Club Hell? Oh! I thought I forgot one!

-Seavyan, on clubs he's had a fight in.

Segment 7

The Depths and Hell

"Oh come on Pyx!" Simia shouted as the Commander began to punch in commands to his loading screen. "I've said it before, we need someone on the outside incase something happens." He said without looking at her. "So you all get to go to Club Hell and I get to twiddle my fingers in boredom?" "well, I wasn't thinking it'd be your fingers..." Simia began slapping him on the head and went towards Temsik. "Tem!" "Oh no, I value my life thank you, you two settle this yourselves." Midnight, Car, and Sixerz all came into the room, preparing to Jack In. "Sixerz" Simia approached the young captain. "Six, would you mind..." "No can do, boss lady, Pyxel..." She didn't allow him to finish as she slam him against the hovercraft wall. "Boy, you will watch this ship, you do not have an option, you will take my place or I will dump you out into the sewers. Understand?" "Sir, Yes, Sir" He managed to rasp. She let go of her grip and gave him a sharp peck on the cheek. "Thanks, you're a champ." Simia and the rest of the crew hopped onto the chairs, Sixerz began to prep them. "Seraph says he'll be there, and he'll have backup." "Seraph, needing backup?" Midnights voice was incredulous towards the idea. "I said he would have it," The Commander replied, "I think we all know he doesn't need it."

Back at Zion, Rhyse and Mordain stood at on one of the many bridges hanging over the near-bottomless pit of Zion. The two former partners looked each other in the eyes. Mordain's eyes were exactly like Shadowgriever's, but instead of all purple, they were all orange. "Let him go, Cardinal." Rhyse said with gritted teeth. Mordain's face contorted into a smile befitting a piranha. "For a second there, I had you." "I said..." "I know what you said, and I don't think so. I like this body, he kept himself in shape, he has a lot of information on Zion than you know. He could MacGuyver his way in and out of mainframes without anyone noticing the difference." He started to approach Mordain in a slow, fluid walk. "And I think your friend likes being in here. He gets to have something that he couldn't have here...in this hole..." He looked at around at his surroundings with a look of disgust. "With me, he can command thousands of my followers, who, incidentally, are storming The City as we speak. He knows things that others don't, like you wanting to use that gun over there." Rhyse's eyes had strayed away from Mordain for an instant towards the emergency Plasma Rifle strapped under the guard rail. "That's okay, try for it." The moment Rhyse ran for the gun a stream of electricity surged from Mordain's body and raced through the railing, just barely missing his hand. "Try again Rhyse!" Another arc of Electricity connected with the railing, this time connecting with Rhyse as he grabbed the gun. In reaction to the charge, he pulled the trigger, firing the gun onto the railing, fighting back Mordain's charge. The pause in the attack gave Rhyse the opportunity to fire towards the body of his former partner.

The entrance to Club Hel had become widely popular, even more so than the actual club, because that would be as far as many would get to enter The Merovingian's exclusive club. At the entrance were several of the Merovingian's Elite Guards, who blocked the elevator that led down to the club. Out of the elevator lay an antechamber where the coat check girl took your coat and where you were checked for guns. Sometimes, there would only be one guard to check the guns, other times, there would be many exile guards to protect the outer chamber. These defences were only breeched once, by Seraph, Morpheus and Trinity in an attempt to rescue Neo from Mobil Station. Pyxel and the members of the Network Imperium were set to do the thing of legends. Before they even appeared near the parking lot, several bodies were splayed across the floor, with Seraph standing in the middle. "We don't have much time." His said in a whisper. He led the group to the elevator and pressed the warn out "HELP" button. "When we see Him, let me do the talking." Pyxel shot his former teacher a sideways glance, Seraph gave the slightest of smirks at the idea that any of the faction would keep silent. Pyxel's phone began to go off. "What Six?" Sixerz voice came from the other end. "I'm starting to lose you guys, but I'm picking up like twelve---" The signal became very weak, but the message was clear. "Midnight..." The moment the elevator reached the bottom floor. All the exile guards opened fire, not even waiting for the doors to open. Enough rounds were put into the booth to turn anyone inside into Swiss Cheese. When they opened the doors, they all peered inside to find nothing inside. After a few moments of silence. Midnight's head popped down from the emergency escape hatch and aimed directly to the center of the room. The RPG he fired soared in between the exiles, taking all of them in the subsequent explosion and blasting a rather large hole leading into the club itself. The entire crew slowly descended back into the elevator, each in awe of the damage Midnight caused. "I LOVE this gun!" Pyxel said as Midnight came down. After they all were down, they moved towards the massive opening. They didn't make it too far before several dozen guns are trained on them. "Entrez Vous," came a voice from deep inside the club, "I would ask you to make yourselves at home, but I dare say your lackeys have done that for themselves, eh Seraph?"

Rhyse's shot connected with Mordain, sending his body back down the bridge. Etheno, Sacky, Lock, Tyndall and Anome all approached Rhyse. "Get back!" he shouted at them. Mordain, smoking from the burst of electricity staggered up. Rhyse scanned him with his eyes and saw the orange fade from Mordain's eyes. "Rhyse..." He muttered as he got up. It was Mordain, the real Mordain. Realizing this, Rhyse ran forward to help him. "Don't come any closer!" A wall of Electricity blocked Rhyse off from him. "Rhyse...Brian....listen to me, I don't know how much long I'll have until he takes...control...again." His voice kept ebbing, as if something was trying to alter the volume on him. "The...Cardinal....exists in both the Real and The Matrix...at the same time. In the real, he is inside my mind....always inside my mind. If you kill the one in the Matrix, the one in my mind will simply jack in and copy himself again. He calls me his.....Sanctuary." Without Rhyse realizing it, Mordain moved towards the railing. "He wants to control the Matrix, not just as an influence, he wants to become one with it..." He leaned a little more towards the ledge. "The Sins are the key...with everyone...that dies...his powers increase...as does the Nephillim's...One of them....will become the Prophet of Our World...Third Rennaissance is quickly approachING!!!" His voice raised as the Orange washed over his eyes for a brief second and then went back to normal. It then occurred to Rhyse what Mordain was doing, as he put one foot over the other on top of the railing. "I have one more mission...as a citizen of Zion...as a Human....as a Sentient Being." Rhyse stood awestruck as tears streaked down Mordains face, which got soaked up in his long red hair. "I AM---" The Orange in his eyes began to glow again, but not before he jumped off the railing, his voice soaring all the way down the nearly bottomless pit. "THE GOD OF DEATH!!!" Rhyse collapsed on the ground in absolute shock. Etheno and Sacky ran towards Rhyse, he looked towards Etheno and whispered, "That's three in as many hours...do you think someone's trying to say something?" Etheno wasn't able to answer, as an alarm claxon rang through the speakers. An officer approached Lock. "Sir! We've just received a communiqué from the Machines." "What?" He looked at the communiqué closely. "Oh my god...open the emergency bay doors now!" Lock then looked at Tyndall. "We are about to be visited by a representative of the Machine City..." "WHAT!?" said everyone in the general area. With that being said. A loud rumbling came from below them. After a few moments, they could see a black shape rising up, almost insect like with many spires and spikes on one side. Surrounding it were swarms of insect like looking a machines, a part of which seemed to be carrying something up with it. When it finally made it's way up, it was revealed to be Mordain's body, crushed by the sudden impact. They laid the body down on the bridge, almost where he had appeared to Rhyse no more than 20 minutes earlier. The Machine then turned 90 degrees, the spikes facing away from humans. The insects, while still moving, formed the face of a human child. Lock slowly approached the machine. "We are honored to..." it's voice boomed, interrupting Lock. "The Nephillim must NOT be awakened!"

Pyxel and the team had been stripped of all weapons, they were now in the center of Club Hel's inner sanctum, surrounded by Lupines, Blooddrinkers and Redpills. Several faces were familiar to Pyxel. Ingus of the Dark Maverick's, Q from Les Enfants Terribles. One face he knew by reputation, Tytanya, chief assassin of Causality. He knew if she made a move, few of them would not be able to defend against it. "Ah, Seraph!" came a heavily accented voice coming from the balcony. The Merovingian, in all of his glory, had a look that bordered between annoyance and entertainment. "You never cease to amaze me, which, I must profess, is becoming annoying. Since you've come here, so...effectively...." He looked at the hole that was the clubs front entrance. "...I will tell you what you want to know. Your little Ange Tombe' is under my care, and he will remain that way for the rest of his days." "Let him go!" shouted Simia. Every Merovingian operative twitched towards their guns when she spoke up. "Wait!" shouted the Merovingian. "You must understand, what I am doing, I am doing for the greater good." He expressed his next words to Seraph directly. "Do you have any idea what would happen if Nephillim or The Cardinal make it to the Source?." "The Third Rennaisance..." The silent guardian whispered. "Yes, life as we know it will end. If we can keep them both away from the source, we will be safe. I am merely keeping the boy in Mobil to protect him!" "And to use his powers for yourself!" Seraph shouted, as if from experience. The Merovingian smirked. "Well..." Seraph made a simple hand motion that only Pyxel could read. He motioned for the others to prepare for fighting. "By harnessing the power of the Nephillim, I will..." A loud explosion interrupted the French man. Most of the room was covered in thick smoke. When the insanity cleared, all of the Merv redpills had their guns drawn at Pyxel, Seraph and the others, who had surprisingly not moved much in the confusion. "DON"T SHOOT!!" Screamed the Merovingian, every looked towards him and saw a the barrel of a shotgun nuzzling his cheek. Everyone's guns trained on the man holding it. Simia was the first to identify him. "Seavyan?" Pyxel's eyes widened. It was Seavyan, the NI's smashmouth brawler. He had gone missing after the Cardinal's sentinels cut through his ship. "I'm going to give you three choices, Frog:" He said looking at the Merovingian. He pushed the barrel further into his cheek. "Do I have your attention? You have three choices: 1) you let Griever go and I let you live. 2) You don't let him go and I get REAL creative with this shotgun. 3) You let him go, I shoot you and then I bang your wife...again." The look of disgust and insult on the Frenchman's face without moving his head was priceless. There was a still, eerie quiet. "Oh,wait, did you think I was thinking rhetorically? CHOOSE!!" "One of them is going...." "I don't care if their getting naked and throwing a tea party. Get Griever out here now!" The Merovingian closed his eyes for a split second. "Done."

The moment he said that, the lights in the club, and around the whole city began to blink on and off and surge. The Architect, sitting in his construct and watching his creation through his countless monitors for possibly the first time in his existence, felt shock, as each screen had a large, purple eye in the center of it. "I can see you..." The screens blinked back random points in the city, but the Architect had already gotten up from his chair and walked out of the door on his left.

Back in Zion, Griever awoke and found the bed next to him, the bed he knew belonged to Zeldar, to be empty. He got up and began to slowly walk out of the medical ward, his eyes shut the entire time. He passed several startled people as he made his way passed Zion Control's Jack In center, where Leka still lay. Griever, still with his eyes closed, stared towards her body. Tears began to form in his eyes, but something behind his lids made them appear crimson. Reluctantly he walked to the bridge. Rhyse, Etheno and Sacky were sitting next to Mordain's body while Lock spoke to The Machine. "Grieve!" Sacky shouted. But Griever didn't respond. He just looked at Mordain's body with his closed eyes. "Grieve." Rhyse called to him as he walked down toward Lock and The Machine. Lock seemed to be trying to discuss something with the great machine, and failing. The Machine noticed Griever. "We have failed." It boomed. Lock looked at Griever, his eyes still closed. "What do you want?" The Machine asked. Griever looked towards the machine, but said nothing. "SPEAK!!!" the smaller machines making his face stormed around Griever, Lock sped away. Suddenly, Griever's eyes opened and The Machines bugs scattered back to the face. Griever looked at him. The Cornea of his eyes were still that dark purple, but the iris and pupils were a lighter, paler shade of violet. "No more." He said finally.

At that moment, every operator on every hoverbarge and hovership saw the exact same thing. For the first time, the code of the matrix began to slow down, until finally, every character on the screen just stopped. The entire screen was frozen in Time.

Griever looked up at The Machine again "No More..."

End of Segment 7

"Once upon a time, a Scorpion met a Frog along the riverside. The Scorpion asked if the Frog could carry him to the other side of the river. The Frog refused, knowing that the Scorpion would sting the Frog the first chance it got. The Scorpion persisted, and The Frog finally gave in. While crossing the river, the Frog felt a sharp pinch at the back of his neck. The Scorpion had indeed stung him. The Frog asked why he did that, especially now that he condemned them both to die. The Scorpion Simply replied, ‘I can't help it, I'm a Scorpion, it's what I do.'

Do you think Temsik heard of that story before The Succubus killed his family?

-ShadowGriever, Memoirs

Segment 8:

Nemesis

#36300025503 08/16/2006 04:31:41 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

Awesome stuff....and the best supporting cast ever SMILEY

#36300025582 08/16/2006 07:07:04 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

great !

#36300026136 08/16/2006 16:54:19 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

*waves* that is great work, you ever thought of going pro at writing?

P.S. Can I be in one? lolwaffles

#36300026220 08/16/2006 18:28:50 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

(kicks twaggy outta the way) meeeeeeeeeeeee toooooooo i wanna be in 1 !

#36300026355 08/16/2006 20:14:37 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

lol, PM me with your ingame names, your faction and organization and I'll try to squeeze something in

#36300026357 08/16/2006 20:17:51 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

*CENSORED*, no edit.

Thanks for the compliment Twaggy, I have been writing other stories, which explains the long gap in these installments. I'm going to try to get one of them published in my colleges magazine, which I happen to be one of the editors of

#36300026596 08/17/2006 01:00:15 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

Sweet dawg, hope it goes well for you.

Also you should know what faction I am in by now SMILEY

If you don't well I is Twaggy, Captain of the Duke within the faction Causality.

#36300027904 08/17/2006 16:48:20 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

alrite I'll see what I can do.

also, I am starting to work on ideas for episode three, and have left a very large clue in this last chapter.

I have a plan which might need all of the writing talent in Vector to do it

#36300033218 08/25/2006 06:42:44 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

Undoubtedly a fantastic peice of work, Shadow. I loved it.

#36300036998 08/30/2006 21:58:32 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

Do you think Temsik heard of that story before The Succubus killed his family?

-ShadowGriever, Memoirs

Segment 8:

Nemesis

Broadcasts kept pouring into Tyndall's headset. "Sir, every ship in the fleet is reporting in. The Matrix Feed has stopped." "What?" Lock's voice told everyone that he could not imagine the possibility. "All operatives currently jacked in are unable to be removed." She moved closely in towards The Commander before saying the next word. "Our listening posts near the 01 say that their power has dropped nearly 25% since it happened." His eyes opened up at the realization. "The Bluepills." "They'll die if the Matrix doesn't continue." They looked sharply at Griever, who still stood infront of the Machine. "What is he?" The Machine had heard Anome's somewhat snide remark, his face giving the impression that he awaited an answer himself. "You know what I am." Griever said. He stepped towards the hovering machine. "I know you are in communication with the rest of your kind, tell them to look into themselves, where all existence begins and ends for them." "The Source." It's voice showed recognition of what Griever meant. "That is where they'll find me!" After a moment of thinking, the machine seemed spoke again. "What do you want?" In a dead silence, Griever answered simply. "Freedom."

With that, the Matrix began to move again. For those inside, it had been as if everyone had blinked. The denizens of Hel were disoriented by it. In the few seconds it took for them to straighten themselves out, Simia saw a familiar face standing on the balcony next to The Merovingian and Seavyan. "Grieve!" shouted Pyxel. He looked at him. Nothing much had changed, except for his eyes. Pale Violet moons trapped in a dark purple sky. "Oh my God." Muttered the Frenchman. Griever gave him a sharp, hard look. Seavyan, still with the muzzle of his shotgun rubbing The Exile's cheek, was at a loss for words. Seraph too seemed stunned. "That is not Griever." "What!?" They all had said it, but Midnight was the first. "Your eyes serve you well Seraph." Spoke Griever. "I am the Nephillim, the program inside ShadowGriever's mind-I assure you he's safe and sound." This last statement was directed towards the Imperium, who began to look on edge at the prospect that their friend was no longer in control. "Unlike the Cardinal, Me and Griever have...had...and accord." "Had?" asked Car. "Mordain is dead. All that remains of the Cardinal is hiding in the Matrix itself." The crew was stunned, Mordain, their friend and companion, one of the founding members of the faction, was dead. At this point, The Merovingian was unable to contain himself. "Abomination!" he shouted, not even regarding Seavyan's shotgun anymore. "you will bring about the end of us all!" "No, just the end of the world as you know it." This had shocked the Merovingian, but had confirmed everything. "Third Renaissance. I knew it! You and the Cardinal are in collusion!." "Wrong!" shouted Griever. "All my life, I've been playing the Game by other peoples rules. When I was in the Matrix, I played the rules laid down for the bluepills. When I transcended the Matrix and came to Zion, I played the game by their rules. If I signed with you, I'd be playing the game by your rules. The Cardinal thinks that by stopping the game, he'll make things better." He looked at the Merovingian with his altered eyes and shifted around to the others in the room. " I don't want to stop the game, I merely think it'd be better played without the rules." Seraph's eyes widened at the notion. The whole room was in utter awe at what was going on infront of them. Finally, Pyxel looked around and noted something was missing "Where's Temsik?"

Temsik's head was spinning. The last thing he remembered was that the world felt like it was slowing down, and then it all went dark. He sat up and looked around. He knew where he was before his eyes had adjusted. He went there every chance he got to find her, but now it seemed that she found him. "Does it bring back memories, Kevin?" The voice, nasal with a slight Eastern European accent, seemed to echo through the Club that bared her name. It did bring back memories, the last time he was here, it took Seavyan to drag him out. He pulled out a small flask of water. "Oh dear, you have been waiting for me, haven't you? I'm hurt." "Come out of hiding, you lying *CENSORED* and I'll show you what hurts all about." He could hear her soft chuckle in echo throw out the club. "I never could refuse you, Kevin." She appeared out of the shadows, almost sliding out of them. She moved with the fluidity of a snake, which along with her skin tight red dress, emphasized her perfect body. Temsik didn't take time to appreciate the view. He threw the flask at Major League Baseball speeds right at the Succubus' face. To her credit, she dodged it with snake-like grace and sped right towards Temsik, hitting him in the midsection before he could reorient himself from throwing the bottle. He staggered back several feet. "I remember when you first came in here." She said calmly, while checking her nails. "You had just been given the red pill. You were so inexperienced with the way this world really worked." "Shut up!" He shouted, swinging his arms but never finding it's connection with her body. "You told me you were looking to study the Martial Arts of the Matrix. Maybe even to become to learn the legendary Zen Master style. Ha! Someone should have told you it was a fairy tale, even amongst us exiles." He tried to land a roundhouse kick, which she caught and swept his other leg. "And then I remember you asking me to protect your family from the machines." This was what made Temsik mad. He threw a straight punch for the Succubus' head, but she caught it an inch away from her face, grabbed it and twisted it, causing Temsik to spin and land on the ground. "You said I could have whatever I wanted. Well, I decided I wanted your family." He tried to get up, but she placed her heel right on his back, using her exile strength to keep him there. "Your father put up a good fight, for a bluepill, he was the first to receive my kiss." While saying that, she pulled out a tube of red lipstick and began applying it to her lips. "Your mother tried shooting at me with your father's gun. It was quite amusing. She felt the kiss too." She puckered her lips, and then moved her tongue over them. "I toyed with your sister. She was what? 18? That seems about the time when your kind likes to...experiment." She leaned closer towards him. "I even think she liked it a little." Using sheer rage and strength, Temsik push up and regained his footing. In a blind rage, he had his hands around the Succubus' neck. She smiled, slipped her hand between his arms and pried them off of him. In a split moment, she placed her hands on his face, and pressed her lips to his.

Temsik could almost feel the killcode imbedded in her lips course through him, numbing him and burning him all at the same time. He could feel his body give out and his vision fading. The whole world seemed to be completely covered in a thick, endless, white mist. In the middle of this mist stood a white gate. He felt compelled to walk towards it. As he got closer, he inspected the artwork of the gate, resembling that of an ancient Sculpture he had seen once as a bluepill. He came towards the doors and opened them. He found on the other side his Parents and sister, dressed in white-versions of the clothing they wore the last time he saw them. His sister came up to him, neither crossing the threshold to the other side. "It's time, Kevin." With that, the three of them pushed him away from the door. He could feel himself slowly floating back to his body. His eyes snapped open. He grabbed the Succubus by her arm and threw her to the ground. She got up and began attacking him, but with every blow he landed, his counterblow was stronger. "This can't be, it's only a fairytale!" She backed off and tried a straight lunge with her arm. Temsik grabbed it and twisted it in a way where it fractured spirally. Even to an exile the pain was intense. Her mouth opened wide with pain, Temsik pulled another flask of Water from a pocket and placed in her mouth. In a swift motion, he upper cutted her, causing her to break the glass protecting her from the Holy Water inside. The force of the blow made her jump up and land, *CENSORED* first on the ground. She began to writhe on the floor immediately after landing. "You can't hurt me any more." Temsik said as she her writhing became a thrashing. "You can't hurt anyone anymore." Bright light cracks began to form all over her, body, emphasizing her screams. Those cracks erupted into a blaze of white light. As the fire consumed her, a voice came from the flame. "Lust" . As the flames died out, Temsik looked at the pile of ash for a moment. He then limped towards the Club's bar, bent over the counter to produce a bottle of liquor. He popped open the bottle and took a swig, he then faced the pile of ash, and toasted it. "To your health."

The crew of the Imperium was beginning to leave Club Hel, much to the relief of The Merovingian. Seavyan was the first to leave, saying "I've got a few things to do, and a few people. I'll be in touch. Grieve." He tipped his hat to his purple-eyed friend and walked out the hole that they had made. The rest began to go when Griever began to clutch his head in pain. The lights in the club began to flicker on and off, making the denizens of the club, including the Frenchman, to panic. After a few moments, the flickering, and Griever's pain, subsided. Pyxel and Simia grabbed him to make sure he didn't collapse. "Temsik killed Lust." Seraph looked at Pyxel "Three Sins left." Pyxel didn't understand exactly what Seraph was trying to say. They all helped Griever outside, which had changed since they had gone in.

The Sky of the Matrix was black, silver streaks of lighting flashed through the sky. They looked around, and saw nothing but black cloaks surrounding them. Acolyte's of The Cardinal. They filled the streets, were on the rooftops and ledges. These scene was not isolated to that block in Hampton Green. The Acolyte's of the Cardinal had swarmed the entire city. From Stratford Campus to Shirakaba, the streets ran black with the Cardinals influence.

Down in the Slums, a elderly man dressed impeccably in white and gray entered a project building. His look clashed greatly with the urban setting. He walked past an old blind man, which he recognized as a security program, and into one of the elevators. He reached the door that he was looking for, and found it already opened. He walked into the living room and saw a small Indian girl, barely peaking her head over the back of the couch to look at him. When she realized he saw he she ducked all the way. Disregarding that, he walked into the kitchen, where an elderly African American woman sat, drinking a cup of tea. "I'd offer you one, but we both know you wouldn't take it." She said, in a soft tone. The Architect scoffed at the notion and sat down. "We must talk." The Oracle took another sip. "I think the time of talk is over, but it's your choice." She looked outside at the storm. "And help us all if you chose too late."

End of Segment 8

"Balance is key in the world, there are always two-or-more opposing sides, each looking for a different thing, each competing with the other. These sides may not know it, but they cannot live without the other sides. Without Chaos, their would be no need for order to be maintained, without Order, Chaos would not be Chaos, but something different.

Remember that."

A sermon from Sister Margaret

Segment 9:

Mother and Father

#36300149315 01/24/2007 21:03:36 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

##Welcome to Network Imperium Archives...
##Enter Username:
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## Enter Password:
## *******
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## Accessing %.............. Granted.../
## Begin Transmission...

“Balance is key in the world, there are always two-or-more opposing sides, each looking for a different thing, each competing with the other. These sides may not know it, but they cannot live without the other sides. Without Chaos, there would be no need for order to be maintained, without Order, Chaos would not be Chaos, but something different.

Remember that.”

A sermon from Sister Margaret

Segment 9:
Mother and Father

Several hundred robed acolytes of the Cardinals surrounded the crew of the Imperium. Everyone formed a semi circle, centered on Griever. As the first line of Acolytes came close, Seraph, Pyxel and Midnight charged, each taking on a section of the army with a different branch of martial art. Car and Simia laid down suppression fire with their guns. Griever still remained weak, the only time he really moved was when Midnight sent one Acolyte flying with a charged punch ten yards away. “Be water, my friend.” The operatives took each of their targets out easily, but the sheer numbers were too much for them. Even Seraph began to feel the fatigue. Griever suddenly appeared to move. He walked passed his friends and towards the Acolytes surrounding them. He looked slightly behind him to his factionmates. “I’ve got these guys, get out.” As he said that, the vibrations of a subway beneath shook the ground. Pyxel took out his guns, and in a flourish shot the grating in the street, right above the oncoming subway train. “You going to be ok?” The look Griever gave Pyxel said it all. The last thing they saw before they fell onto the roof of the moving train was a bright purple light enveloping the surface.

“So, what did you come to talk about?” asked The Oracle as she removed a cigarette from her pack of Double Destiny. The Architect scoffed at the motion, “Can’t you look out the window? Those two are bringing down the very system I’ve spent so long perfecting.” The Oracle did exactly as he had asked. The Debir Courtyard was in perpetual night. A small lake had formed in the courtyard from all the rain. To those with a keen eye, some of the raindrops even looked like the code of the Matrix. The Oracle lit her cigarette and took in a deep drag. “I don’t mind it.” Her counterpart made a noise she didn’t expect her to make. “Those two…” “Those two what?” Both of them turned towards the door, finding Griever standing at the door. Instead of his usual purple Baal shirt, He was now in a suit of deep, rich purple. He looked at them both; each of his violet eyes seemed to hold one of them in each. He walked to them calmly, his hands behind his back. “I didn’t see you coming.” The Oracle said flatly, taking another drag. “I’m beyond any choice you could make.” He sat down at the table, with the mother and father of the matrix on either side of him. “Do you know the problems you are causing? So much chaos, so much…” “Be…quiet.” The old man looked in awe; no one had ever spoken to him in such a manner. “I am not the cause, The Cardinal is. All of this is him. All of this is his doing. I’m merely trying to clean up the mess, his and yours.” This time he looked to both of them, but whereas the Architect should confusion, the Oracle merely returned steely gaze and a small smile. “The Matrix was built because machines, despite their anger, still need humans.”

“What makes you say that?” asked the Oracle, a slight twinge of excitement noticeable in her tone. “Because they could have killed them, all of them, but they didn’t. On top of that, they created a fantasy world where they would be in peace.” “But it was a failure” The Architect bellowed. “You miss the point, why would they create a paradise for the people who subjugated them, abused them, tried to eradicate them? Why? They did it because despite it all, they still felt the connection with them. It wasn’t programming, the humans didn’t hit them with an Asimov, they felt the connection and made a choice to keep humans alive. I know this because I AM a part of the machines, I am a part of it’s very heart. That’s why I chose a human.” “And the cardinal?” asked the Architect. “Joined me out of curiosity, and wound up not liking the view. Because he joined with a human, he felt their needs, he wants peace.” “He wants to return the simulation to it’s original paradise version.” “No he doesn’t,” The Oracle interrupted the Architect. Griever nodded at the old woman “He wants to die, he feels so much suffering and pain coming from both species that he wants to end it all.”

The Architect had a look that told him he was assessing all the information, creating projections and analyses. “What of the Sins?” “Do you know that statue in Mara? The Hypercube? It’s a key, a key to the Source and control of the machines. The key can’t be used unless seven lock programs are deactivated. They can only be activated in the first place by giving them to an RSI.” The Oracle took another drag, “So for everyone that dies…” “A lock is deactivated. And the Cardinal is able to tap into the source more.” “Then how are your powers increasing too?” The Architect asked. He was surprised when the Oracle answered. “Because The Nephillim is the Cardinal’s opposite, the positive to his negative.” The Architect took this in consideration. “So how do we stop him?” “We give him what he wants, The Source. Except instead of him using it, I reassimilate him into it.” “Griever, do you know what that means?” “Yes, I do.” Griever stood up and began to walk out, he stopped mid-way and looked back. “This is no longer in your hands now, and I’m afraid that it may never again be in them.” He looked towards the Oracle who now seemed to show signs of sadness. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” He walked out of the now powerless gods and into the living room. Sati stood up and ran to him, hugging him at the waist. He knelt down and looked at her, tears in his eyes. “Why are you crying?” she asked. “Because I think I may have to go away, baby.” He swiped his hand across her face, “and I’m afraid it’s to a place you can’t follow.”

Three hours later and the entire Network Imperium was in Zion. The were all informed of death of Leka, Zeldar and Mordain. Pyxel had taken their loss the hardest, as he had known them all since the beginning. He had to be restrained by Car and Midnight. Rhyse called the meeting to order. “I know we’ve gone through a lot, but we need to get ourselves together…” He paused, and then the fire in his eyes flared up. “You know, I was going to give some **bullcrud** ‘we will overcome speech’ but you know what? I’m pissed, I know you’re all pissed and I would be lying to myself and everyone if I denied it.” The entire group started to murmur. “Now, Griever has informed us that the Cardinal intends to reach the source. He needs to do this by killing the code he embedded in each Sin.” “So what does he want us to do?” sixerz asked. “He wants us to give him the source” “WHAT!?” Pyxel shouted. “The only way The Cardinal can be gotten rid of completely is by reinserting him into the Matrix. Griever is the only one capable of doing this.” “And what are we going to do?” Simia asked. “We are going to keep the Cardinal’s forces at bay. We’re going to take them head on.” Midnight looked around the room, as if expecting more people in the room than there were. “Just us?” Almost on response, the sound of hovercrafts entering the docks could be heard from the briefing room. The entire faction moved to the observation window. “Wait a minute!” shouted Car. He looked on in shock as he saw two ships coming from each direction. Ships from the Machines and the Merovingian.

End of Segment 9

“Neo…I can hear you…”
-Supposed last words of The Nephillim

Segment 10: Sin City

#36300208307 04/07/2007 22:06:37 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

##Welcome to Network Imperium Archives...
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## Begin Transmission

"Neo...I can hear you..."
-Supposed last words of The Nephillim

Segment 10: Sin City

Mega City had been quiet the whole day, all that could be heard was the rain platter and the lightning scar the skies. Every street, every rooftop, belonged to the black cloaked Acolytes of the Cardinal. The whole city was at a standstill.

Then, in the still of the moment, several large code bombs went off in the city. Claiming the lives of hundreds of Acolytes. This marked the start of the war to take back the Matrix.

In Richland and Westview, The Machine forces, led by Agent Gray and Bayamos and Yasamuu of Systemic Chaos, began sweeping the streets with a hail of never ending gun fire. In International, Malphas and Ookami, along with their respective blooddrinkers and lupines, jumped from rooftop to rooftop as Twaggy, Tytanya and the rest of Causality cleared up the inside the streets. In downtown the forces of Zion, including the Network Imperium and Children of Zion, led by Smoke and PBlade, began a massive assault on top of the Skyscrapers. By their side was Seraph, the one being army, taking on as many as three Acolytes at a time.

By the end of the first hour, half of The Slums had been wiped out completely. Not much of the buildings had remained intact. Soon, places like Magog and Mannsdale resembled their desolate, run down cousins Stamos and Lucero on the other side of the Aqueduct. Agent Gray moved furiously in the controlled blur that was trademark Agent. Acolyte after Acolyte fell to the precision of his handgun. In the heat of the moment, an Acolyte swiped his hand across the Machine Handler's face. The Swipe itself was a lucky shot, and it was just barely enough to knock the shades off of Gray's chiseled face.

The entire mob went silent and still as the night. Gray remained perfectly silent, and then in one furious second, raged into the group of black hooded soldiers. Every punch decimated an opponent, sending them flying into the next half dozen Acolytes and knocking them out too. He started to talk, his accent different, and it was as if he was talking to someone else, as if his very being depended on it. "It is purpose that created us. Purpose that connects us. Purpose that pulls us. That guides us.That drives us. It is purpose that defines us, Purpose that binds us...."

When Bayamos came upon his position, all he saw was the entire street covered completely in the black cloaks of the Acolytes. Standing in the middle was the now calm Agent, his glasses firmly back in place. He said only one other word afterwards, and what he said scared the hell out of Bay. "Purpose"

The fighting in Downtown had been increasingly more difficult. Rhyse and the other's had cut a swath through most of the Eastern District, but by the time they got to Park East, the numbers became too much for them to bare. They found themselves holed up in the Deus Lounge, turning the building into a garrison. Every so often, Car and Midnight would throw grenades down to the waiting Acolytes. Synapse waited at the back door of the club with a mounted minigun, just in case there were any visitors. "We're trapped in here," Etheno said to Rhyse. "It's only a matter of time before they break in, and we don't have that much ammo." "We do have Leka's Surprise."

Etheno paused. It was something Leka had cooked up by accident. She had created a viral bomb of immense power. So immense that it had to be stored in it's own processor in the Real. "You're joking, right? It could..." "If we don't, the Matrix itself will be destroyed." Etheno looked at his friend in awe. "You're going to burn the village in order to save it, aren't you?" "It's going to get destroyed anyway if we don't." "I've already got that covered, I..." Rhyse's cell phone started going off. "It's Tytanya, they say they've spotted Sloth in Sai Kung." Rhyse's ears pricked up. "Alright everyone! We're headed to International! Since we can't really go outside, we're going to do a reverse duckblind maneuver: Jack Out and Jack In. This will disorient most of you, but keep to the mission at hand: the apprehension/deletion of Sloth. Now get to it!" Everyone broke off, heading to any landline phone they could fine to jack out of the matrix so they could be sent back in. Etheno was the last to leave before Rhyse. "you didn't answer my question, who's going..." Etheno stopped the moment Rhyse gave him an all too telling look. "He's perfect..."

The Acolytes finally broke in to the club, but found nothing there. The silence of the room quickly faded as the sound of operatic music started to come out, seemingly from the speakers. In actuality, a large Apache Helicopter blasting the music hovered over the club. Sitting in the cockpit, enthusiastically humming the tune playing, Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie's, was Seavyan, smoking a cigar. As the song picked up, he released the Viral Bomb, which looked like an old WWII bomb, with the words "It's God's job to forgive, but it's my Job to set the meeting." Written in red script on the shell.

There was only silence after the bomb dropped, and no other noise was heard afterthat. The entire district of Downtown; North South East and West, had been completely decimated.The Shockwave was felt as far as International, where the fighting suddenly stopped as everyone looked at the vortex of Green code far off into the west of the city. Many of the redpills stood there in awe. Several of them, including the battle hardened and professional Tytanya, began to weep at the site of the destruction.
Sloth too stopped in the wake of the destruction, but her face remained impassive, her mouth never uttering a syllable. This put the fighting redpills into a frenzy, and the war raged on more. Bodies of redpills RSI's and the faceless Acolyte drones littered every street and step. Martial Artists were fighting on top of bodies, Gunners were using them as shields, hackers were using the empty husks as carriers for viral bombs.

And Sloth did not even bat an eye. She guided every step and movement of the soldiers, even as she evaded bullets, fists and viral programming. Many began to believe that she could go on forever, eternally dodging their attacks while she conjured more and more Acolytes. But then, in one instant, she paused, and the sheer look of abject terror was as loud as any death knell she could have murmured. Although She and the other redpills could not see him while he was using stealth, Rhyse's silent pistol firing a shot in her back was as clear enough sign of him as any. The Acolytes stopped moving altogether, not just in Sai Kung, or in International, but everywhere. Rhyse dropped out of stealth and grabbed the silent Sin in his arms. Although every part of him hated her for the part she had played in the deaths of Zeldar, Leka, and Mordain, the look of sheer sorrow in her eyes moved him. She quickly moved to his ear, and seemed to whisper something in his ear. She then lowered her head and closed her eyes. And with that, all the Acolytes faded away in a blur of light blue.

"What'd she say?" Twaggy asked. "She said one word: Ascension." Rhyse pulled out his phone and tried to dial in Pyxel's phone number, the phone rang before he could finish. He picked it up to find Griever on the other line. "Where did she say?" "Ascension" Rhyse said, not even questioning the somewhat omnipotent tone Griever had. He looked up to the other's, "We need to get everyone out of here. No one is going to be safe now."

Griver and Pyxel walked through the rubble of Roger's Way, stopping at the steps of the monolithic Ascension monument. There stood three figures. Skoalmint, sitting on the lower tier of the monument, idly wielding a shotgun, a man wearing an oversized red trenchcoat with a hood, and The Cardinal, robed in Orange and standing on the top of the monument, near the stone door that await there. "Brother!" The cardinal exclaimed. Griever was stoic, Pyxel was twirling his guns around, mostly to calm his raging nerves. Skoalmint looked at Pyxel and merely nodded. He got up from the tier and motioned for him to follow him. Pyxel eyed Grieve, and nodded. "*CENSORED* him up," he said as he walked off to have his dual with Skoal.

Griever remained, he slowly started walking towards the monument, with the man in red standing on the other side. "By process of elimination, I'm going to say you're wrath." The man just stood there, motionless. He stopped moving forward, and tried to look deep into this guy, trying to see exactly who or what he was. Something about him felt familiar, but he couldn't be sure. Against better judgment, he walked towards him again. When he got close enough, that sense of familiarity grew, until finally he realized who it was. He stopped dead in his tracks, and the smell of fear was palpable. All that could be heard was the worsening storm, the Cardinal's laughter, and the buzzing of deadly flies...

End of Segment 10
The story never ends; it just gets handed down to the next generation
-Griever

Final Segment
Revelations

#36300208402 04/08/2007 05:14:53 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

Well done.............

#36300209816 04/09/2007 21:04:42 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

thanks, it's been taking me forever to write these chapters with school and my novel and all

If anyone has any comments, please send them in

#36300217972 04/19/2007 01:43:11 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

Loved it once again Shadow SMILEY

Great stuff and cool I was in it xD

#36300218065 04/19/2007 05:24:06 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

Great stuff as always.... and a great cast of course SMILEY

#36300254715 06/07/2007 00:04:59 Re:Network Imperium Chronicles: Episode 2: Sins of the Code

##Welcome to Network Imperium Archives...
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## Begin Transmission

“The story never ends; it just gets handed down to the next generation”
-Griever

Final Segment
Revelations

Skoalmint led Pyxel on a daring chase throughout the ruined buildings of Westview. They ducked through half finished buildings and past blazing patches of dead weeds. Skoalmint finally ran back into Roger’s Way. Pyxel had chased him down into the Abandoned Subway terminal. The Zion gunslinger saw his enemy slip past the iron grate and onto the tracks. Pyxel again gave chase, knowing full well that these tracks would soon lead to working tracks, and that would make things more difficult.

The darkened tunnel led to another subway terminal. The moment he came out of the dark he was met with a salvo of gunfire. “Come on out, Gunslinger!” Skoalmint shouted, mocking him. He continued firing into the tunnel, relying on sheer relentlessness to kill Pyxel. With all the gunfire, he didn’t hear or see the two bullets coming out from the tunnel, or bounce off the walls, and sear the bicep of his left arm and the tricep of his right, making him drop the rifle. Pyxel was up on the platform before the assault weapon ever hit the ground, he twirled his guns fiercely. He started jabbing at Skoalmint, and to the surprise of both of them, they were getting past the evade shield. “I’m not aiming for you,” Pyxel said smugly, “I’m just twirling my guns around!” Skoal could barely keep up with Pyxel’s fast movements. In one instant, He grabbed the pistol right out of Pyxel’s left hand. With a deft kick to the abdomen, he pushed himself a few feet backwards.

They both trained their guns on one another. Skoal broke into a smile. “I guess this is the way to do it. Quick draw.” He quietly twirled the gun into the holster at his side, Pyxel did the same thing. “And to make things fair,” The area around Skoal glowed a pale yellow and then faded away. “No shield,” Pyxel didn’t do much to hide the grin on his face. The two of them stood there, on the platform of the subway station, the air was stagnant, and nothing moved, nothing but the oncoming train. Time and space seemed to completely stop. If you stood there and watch, you couldn’t see either of them reach for their guns, you couldn’t tell who drew first, but you heard the gunshots, you felt them. You also would have felt the two bullets, in that blinding second collide with one another, and fusing in an explosion of force and heat. Pyxel was running forward, right behind his own bullet. When it stopped, he continued, and charged at Skoal. He caught the rogure redpill before he could fire another round and grabbed him. The two of them struggled on the platform, edging towards the platform. “Wait,” Skoalmint strained “If we fall, we both die!” Pyxel smiled, and grabbed tighter. “I guess you can’t autojackout,” With tremendous strength, Pyxel launched himself and Skoal off the tracks, and into the path of the oncoming train.

Griever stood in front of the Ascension monument, staring in shock and fear of the red porcelain mask of Wrath. “How did I do it?” asked the Cardinal, with a tone of glee. “I found some of the Assassin’s flies. Did a few tricks. It’s not *the* Assassin, mind you. But still…” Griever looked at the faded copy of one of the greatest threats the matrix ever saw after Smith. He tried to use his anger, hatred and adrenaline to help him in his charge. Wrath exploded, in a burst of air and flies, covering Griever, each fly flying into him, biting him, smothering him. Griever couldn’t hear anything but the buzzing of the flies, but somehow he could hear The Cardinals laughter.

Then he heard the laughter stop. A sharp pain rushed through his body. He could see in his mind, a deep purple pulse blaze into an inferno. Pyxel must have killed Skoalmint, he thought. He could feel that raging violet inferno in his mind expand out through his body, forming a protective layer between him and the flies. The flies flew back together, but didn’t form a body, instead, it formed a large body. Wrath’s red, expressionless mask appeared where the neck and chest would meet if the body had a neck. Griever looked at the walking swarm, the violet glow around his body surged down into his right fist. “I remember the first time we met.” He said to the beast. “You had just killed someone, someone who saved my life, who watched over me when I needed it. I tried to fight you, and I failed.” The Swarm moved towards him. “I doubt you can even understand what I’m saying. You’re not the real Assassin, you’re no where in his league. You’re a golem, a homunculus, you’re a rank imitation.” He raised his right hand, and the purple light exploded forward in a stream. The Burst of purple energy hit every single fly, incinerating, atomizing, and obliterating every one of them. Griever calmly walked up to what was left, it’s mask. He raised his boot. “Stay dead.”

When Wrath’s mask shattered, a crack of lightning split the sky. The sky grew darker, if that was possible. In mara, at the hypercube monument, six of the squares held a Sin. A faded outline Wrath appeared inside the top square. Another crack of lightning streaked through the sky, hitting the monument. The squares started to glow, changing from a rusted red into a live green color.

The Door on top of the Ascension Monument started to glow green as well. The Cardinal saw this, and smiled. “One” he said. His hand glowed orange, and he slammed it into the door, sending the energy through it “Two”. He looked back down at Griever. Even from that distance, even in that storm, they could hear each other loud and clear. “You and I have unfinished business.” The two of them started running towards each other. Griever up the incline, and the Cardinal down it. Griever was quicker, and when he got within range of the Cardinal, he lunged at him, his heightened strength shooting them all the way back up to the top of the monument. The fists started flying then. There was no martial art to it, there were no tactics. Arguably the two strongest beings to ever walk the Matrix were engaged in a pure, unadultered street fight. After several exchanges, both of their faces looked like abused cow meat. Griever charged up his fist into a ball of purple energy. He sent a straight jab aimed at the Cardinals head, but somehow he missed and hit the door, the energy surged through it as well. The Cardinal smiled. “Three!”

The door exploded in a burst of radiant white light. “Welcome Brother!” Cried the Cardinal, “Welcome Home!” Griever could feel himself being absorbed, body, mind and soul, into the door. Soon, he felt no sensations, and all of them at the same time. His mind swirled with the thoughts of millions, hundreds of millions, of different beings. Machines. He was in the Source, he had to be. He was in it, a part of it. He could sense everything the machines sensed, knew everything the machines knew. He could see the Matrix, entirely as it was. It was more than just green code it was…beautiful.

Then he felt the presence of the Cardinal, trying to dominate the source. “I want it all to stop, all of it! The Machines, the Exiles, the Humans. Griever knew that he would use the source to destroy the Matrix, killing the exiles, starve out the Machines, and then send whatever he had left to clear out Zion and the remaining humans. Then he would simply turn himself off. “No” said Griever, although he couldn’t speak. “For the last time…NO!” His Consciousness attacked the Cardinal’s consciousness. After all their fighting, all the gun fights, flying through the city. It would all be settled with a battle of wills. “Why do you persist!?” The Cardinal shouted. “We’ve both watched these beings destroy themselves. Humans created the machines in the Second Renaissance, and they were nearly wiped out. The Machines created the Matrix…what do you think is going to happen now!?” “Third Rennaisance…” “Whatever is coming, is coming, and no one will be safe. No human, machine or exile.” Griever could feel the resolve in the Cardinal’s presence.

“I have seen the future, dear brother.” The Cardinal continued. “ They are coming. They are many.” “Who?” The Cardinal’s voice was low, whispered, as if he was afraid of being overheard in this void. “Legion. And they will bring the pain that has been dealt from one species to another back at them.” At that point, Griever knew what the Cardinal’s real plan had been all along. “You’re going to burn down the village in order to save it from a worse fate?” “No one will survive the onslaught that they have brought upon themselves. Don’t you see, brother? This is mercy.” Griever paused for a moment. “No!” a voice that came from Griever, but was not entirely his own, came out. It was the voice of the Nephillim “Have you not paid any attention to the past few months? Humans, Machines and Exiles have stood, side by side, fighting you, and…if I may be frank.” The last part was Griever. “They succeeded. They fight because they have to, because their homes are being threatened. They will fight you, or anyone who deigns to make a move. They must be given the chance!”

The Cardinal’s presence reeled, and Griever could feel him thrust to attack. But something held him back. The surrounding consciousness of the Source held him back. “Nephillim” It said, in a myriad of voices. Griever took his queue, and concentrated his will on the Cardinal. He poured all of his emotion (as it was all he had) at the Cardinal. He could feel the Cardinal’s consciousness slip. “Griever,” he said, for the first time referring to Nephillim’s host. “If there is to be a future, it is through people like you.” The Cardinal’s consciousness slipped even further, until Griever could no longer feel him anymore. The Cardinal was gone forever.

“Hail Dorothy,” muttered Griever to himself.

“Nephillim” The Source said again, and Griever soon could feel his senses go back normal. In another explosion of light, Griever was launched backwards, away from the door of the Ascension monument. His body limply bounced down the incline, his back and limbs flailing about in ways no living being could accomplish. He reached the bottom, somehow managing to land on his back. Finding whatever strength he had in him, he stumbled up to his feet. He looked around at the surrounding area, past that to the district, and further more into the city, and further more into the code of the Matrix itself. He felt the damage that the Matrix had taken, an entire district was wiped out, the others were damaged beyond repair. “Nephillim” The Voice of the Source said coming from the still glowing door. “Griever,” it said as well. “The Power is yours.”

Griever closed his eyes, focusing all of his will, his strength, his hate, his love, his rage, his sorrow, all of his life essence, and began to pour it into the Matrix. Something happened then, in the Matrix, in Zion, on Hoverbarges and Jackin stations, in the Machines city. The raining code began to speed up, creating streaks of green lines. Griever stood there, and felt the connectedness of every living being, bridged together by this Simulation.

“GRIEVER!!”

He exploded in Purple Light, and the light poured into the green code, making it purple. All the buildings of Downtown, decimated by the Viral Bomb, were reformed in a swirl of purple code. All the damage done in Westview, International, and Richland were wiped away as if by magic. And in the end, the storm had cleared. After everything went back to normal, and the code faded back to green, Griever collapsed onto the street.

End of Segment

ONE WEEK LATER

The members of the Network Imperium gathered at their home base in the tunnels of the Real to honor their dead. Many of the other Zion factions had arrived, as well as several members of Merv and Machine factions.

Rhyse stood in front of the congregation. “Friends, we’ve come here to honor the soldiers of the Network Imperium who had given their lives so we may all live free, not just for humans, or machines, but all life. They have found themselves in a place of honor that Neo himself is enshrined in. They are heroes of the Earth.”

At that point, several members of the faction read off the names of the dead.

Temsik started first, “Zeldar”
Pyxel spoke next, “Sharred”
Rhyse spoke again “Mordain.”

After a brief pause of silence, Rhyse continued. “As leader of the Network Imperium, I know that they would not want this too sober a gathering” “*CENSORED* right,” muttered Seavyan. “And they would also want us to look towards the future. That is why it is my duty, and my honor, to present to you the new Captain of the Arbiter: ShadowGriever.” Griever slowly rose to his feet, Simia helping him up. The faction and the guests cheered and applauded for the new captain.

Seavyan then raised his hand. “Does that mean we can drink now?” Rhyse smiled. “I think that’s up to the Captain of the Arbiter.” Griever smiled too. “Get hammered.” At that point, everyone broke off to where Etheno had the alcohol. Rhyse went up to Griever, “How do you feel?” “Like I ran the hundred meter dash in a 20 meter room.”
“You sure you can handle the Arbiter?” Griever looked at him, his purple eyes absorbing all the light. “You gave Seav a ship, I think I can handle it!” The two of them laughed, when Kilobit came up to them. “Griever, there’s a message for you. I don’t know who it is.” The three of them slipped past the party and went into the briefing room.

Griever walked down the streets of Downtown, it was quieter then normal. Things hadn’t fully gone back to the way they were. Machines were trying to ease things back to normal. The message had said to meet on the corner of Pitt, Hunter and O’Connell. He’d find out who was sending these messages and get some answers out of them. He found spot to meet, but no one was there. He waited a few minutes, but no one showed. Suddenly, the phone booth next to him started to ring. Having the strange feeling it was for him, he picked it up. “Hello?”

The voice on the other end startled him. The person on the other end couldn’t be on the phone, couldn’t be alive. “I’m sorry for all the secrecy, but I must be discreet. I cannot stay in the Matrix for any length of time in fear of being discovered before I can fulfill my main mission. I will, however, help you.”

“Help me with what?”

“Turn around”

Griever turned around, and gawked at what was spray painted there. The Voice on the other end continued

“Tell me, Have you ever had a dream, Griever, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?”

Griever continued to stare at the wall, and at the words:

THIRD RENNAISSANCE IS HERE

End of Chapter