Chapter Text
In the beginning, Minos had created BEAD. Bio-Electronic Assistance Droid. Their task was to help as many people as they could, to love humanity despite their “sins” of loving each other— or worse.
STATUS UPDATE:
MACHINE ID: B.E.A.D.
LOCATION: LUST
CURRENT OBJECTIVE: SYSTEM REBOOT (SUCCESSFUL)
OXYGEN IS LIFE
PROTECTION IS YOUR PURPOSE
SAVE ALL DAMNED SOULS
BEAD
I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t even know what I was at this point. Everything was so slow as I came to life. All I remembered and knew about the world was,
I am the people’s Protector.
My first waking moments were in a vat of God knows what, the liquid drained and I slowly walked forward with barely any of my processors working at all. It took a second whilst I felt my hands’ blood circulating, feeling my beating heart in my chest. It was a bit before I started processing where I was, until a human with white hair and a stone crown approached me.
“BEAD. How are thou feeling?”
I stared down at him. “I feel… alive. Why must I be alive, dear Minos?” I recognized him immediately as my creator, even if his face was cloudy at first. The feeling of consciousness was nearly debilitating, I wished to cease existence again. Until Minos pulled me into a great hug, my body felt his warmth. I thought machines could not feel?
We certainly are alive, maybe not in the regular Human fashion. I feel my blood seeping out of my veins just like a human would, I feel emotions just as a human could, but as Minos eventually told me…
“Machines like thou have a directive; good or bad. Yet, it never makes thou any less of a person than a human.” He had told me as he took both of my hands into his. This was during my second night of being alive, and I have familiarized myself with the filth. The strays, the soldiers, the schisms, the filth, and a few demons who keep everything in watch. The Cerberi greet me on occasion, the Malicious Faces (whomst Minos calls Maurices) are as stone-faced as you’d expect.
I continued through my days assisting Minos in his laboratory, a week into my existence I was well versed in Minos’ operations and role to rule his Kingdom of Lust. I became familiar with the residents, the demons and sinners having a peaceful coexistence. With the filth, they seemed to look up to me as if I really was the protector that Minos always says I am. Is this what they mean by feeling whole? A feeling of belonging in a community, despite the "atrocities" they have committed? I adore this feeling, but tis hard to decide if I deserve it.
Minos walked towards me some day, putting his hand out for me to grab. I had taken it and stood from my resting place, where I would stay stationary to conserve my energy.
"Minos? Is everything fine?" I asked in the least monotonous way I could muster, yet I still sound as if I was only a robot.
He laughed. "Yes, all is fine. But I want thou to look over this blueprint for thine newest addition; thine arm." He pointed at my current left one, the claws on it being dull and useless for anything. "I believe we could change that into a new tool. As my serpents are loyal to me, we will have serpents within thy own to keep thee company."
I tilted my head at Minos. "Do you really believe that I will feel lonely without a companion?" My brain was drawn to the snakes. They were never the most for company, maybe just simple pets. I doubt that I would make good use of Minos' gifts. But then he seemed to start thinking, the crown of thorns around his eyes dipping in the middle.
"Then we could look into something perfect for thou!" He says after a few short moments with much more ideas than before. He had me follow him into his workshop, blueprints riddling the walls as he opened a specific one that was already laying on his desk. Anything Minos touches always has a cozy feeling to it, especially living spaces like this one. It just screamed joy, it screamed how much he loved his people with how many ideas he had ready for them all. There were pictures of him and the filth on the walls, a single full-sized bed in the corner, and a workbench suitable for a king. He was more than just a king, I've always thought. He was an inventor, a role model, and somebody who was never taken as seriously as he should have.
He started drawing over the blueprint he had opened in red marker, but most of it was practically gibberish to me despite my "superior" computer skills. However, from what I had gathered, is that the serpents are not alive; they're projectiles!
I held in any shocked noises I could muster. "Well, Minos, that's a fantastic idea! But how are they much different from the strays' hell energy projectiles?"
I heard him chuckle before starting yet another blueprint. I usually take at least 20 old blueprints from his room every week, but this seems as if t’would end up in his archives of "Grand Ideas". He showed me his process. "My idea is that instead of directly coming at thou at a slow pace, much like the strays, this one shall zigzag at thou at a fast pace. tis much harder for any machine or human to parry than a regular projectile." The smile on his face showed me more than enough how much he was proud of himself.
"Quite smart, is it not?" Minos asked whilst gently nudging my arm with his elbow.
I found myself laughing at his gesture, I could feel a smile within me somewhere. "Yes, extremely. Still made of Hell energy however? Don't I have to muster that myself?"
He nodded briskly, a pleased smile on his face. "So, I may update thine database with how to summon hell energy. A new side project for thy to study!" He crosses his arms. "It will be like a new language for thou, so do not fear when thou do not understand it the first attempt. I believe that thou may learn it within the next year."
I leaned against him as he sat on a humble wooden chair, continuing to scan the blueprint he had begun in front of us both.
"I do not fear language. However, I do fear how tis used," I explained in a small mumble to Minos.
Yet, he turned in his chair to look at me directly. "Good. I would rather have thou experience fear more than anybody else. As I've said, fear is what makes thy realize thou art alive , BEAD."
My nod was out of subconscious agreement. "I believe you."
The next few days were about the same, me helping Minos around our quaint layer of Hell. I would act as a sort of emergency services for the people of Lust, as Minos had appointed me to. I still and always have found it odd how these data computers around Hell describe the filth. The data computers would speak of them as if they were animals, but as far as I knew, they were just as human as before. Humanity was always so kind and beautiful to me, despite what they have done. I am more than certain that now they were in Hell, they have atoned for their sins.
When Minos and I discuss the sinners learning their lessons, there are moments where he seems to grimace out of worry. Yet, I have no idea as to why this is. Could Minos be hiding something from me?
…
Bah, I am probably just thinking like a madman at this point. I know that humans are naturally good, they may be the kindest beings that I'll ever meet. I know this because of the people residing in Lust being simple and loving beings, always trying to do their best for the community.
Heaven however, I could never say. Heaven is a place I wish to never be a part of due to God's cruel actions upon these kind people. He had abandoned the Earth, Hell, and Heaven, to go wherever the hell. I swear on Minos, if I ever meet the council,
They shall free my people chained to Hell. For I could not find it in myself to see one more crying person in the streets weeping, weeping that they could not enter a truly sacrilegious home of lies. The people should not be treated like dust, for I find them to be holier than any choir of angels singing in Heaven.
Minos calls me radical for these ideas, how "we should not intervene in battles that do not include us", but I cannot share the same sentiment. For the people that I love and adore are living in constant sadness of what they are missing. I know that tis very human to wish to end up somewhere 'good', and I see that a few sinners are actually content here in Lust. Which I appreciate greatly. I know that even the sinners who became ferrymen in Hell see the flaws in Heaven but the greatness in Lust, which I am so happy to be apart of. I love and appreciate the Lust Renaissance .
One pleasant morning, Minos awoke me as usual. "BEAD. I have a mission for you to complete. However, I need to update your database in order for you to be prepared for it."
I nodded. "Well, good morning to you too. And of course, you can update my database. I don't mind."
Before I ever noticed, I was in my usual chair as he updated my database from the database computer inside of our home. He had to keep my mind active during procedures like these, usually by giving me various 'Connect' puzzles to work on whilst he updated my database. "Well, Minos, can you give me the bare minimum of what you would like me to do?"
Minos held a cup of warm tea within one hand and raked his fingers through his white beard with the other. "Hmm... Well, you are going to meet King Sisyphus. I hope for you to make a proper allyship between him and our layer. As well as the fact that he will have a shipment of things for you to bring." His tone was as tired as ever, as if he were a tired father telling a child what it needs from the grocery store before he sends them off to fetch it.
"Will I need additional weaponry? Shall I sharpen my claws?" I ask him whilst showing off my claws despite him being the one to create them.
But he shook his head. "No, no. You are in good hands with Sisyphus, he would not let any harm come to his comrades." Minos does take a second to think, his habit of biting on the inside of his cheek is his usual tell. "Just do not threaten or use any kind of harm to anybody. He will smite you. Instead, if you're attacked, attempt to get away."
With a thumbs up, I feel myself smile. But I doubt it actually shows. "Of course! I would never want to harm a fellow comrade." And with a chime, we're alerted that my database has been updated. "Am I going to go into the Hellevator? Is that why you did that?"
Minos nodded. "You know how to make it take you where you want it to take you now. It's a full map of Lust, Greed, and Limbo. I added one for Gluttony as well, in case you accidentally make a wrong turn."
I chuckled as I unplugged myself from the terminal, setting the cord connected to my head gently on the floor. "Right, right. I'll be safe, you know I will."
I know I will be safe.
I love reminiscing on these memories over and over again, they hold such a warmth for me. It makes me feel as if I'm being hugged by Minos and his warmth. Despite the memories only being memories, I still feel that they have more meaning to me now than they ever have.
The most notable of them was after I got past the Hellevator in Greed. From what I know of, King Sisyphus had started an army down here as well. The Lust Renaissance and Sisyphean Insurrection go hand in hand together, it was increasingly obvious here. But the sun. God damn that fucking sun.
I was lucky with the filth I knew of being kind as I expected, yet some of the Stalkers were odd. They were some nice fellows who I could not bring myself to call weird. Their masks hid any expression and I suppose I could relate to them with that. They had no boulders on them like they should, they did have ticking bombs of a golden powder that dusted their surroundings. I am yet to find out what that does for them, but my objective was to find Sisyphus first.
With the map I had gotten for the Greed layer, there was a marker on Sisyphus' base of operations. A smaller pyramid at the base of an even larger one, which seemed to act as its shade during the afternoon hours. Walking up the steps to the pyramid's entrance was extremely unsettling, especially with the few statues of increasingly sad stalkers being crushed by the very boulders they carry. And the inside wasn't any different, statues of various husks being crushed by the boulders the stalkers carry. The gold dust-- which I think is considered to be just like sand here-- brushes into my screen from the various open windows across the pyramid. However, with the Egyptian-like hieroglyphs, it made it seem less and less intimidating to me.
I see Sisyphus in the corner of my eyes. A large man, about 6'10. Much taller than Minos. He had a Greek toga, dark complexion, and such a grand brown beard. The solidified gold in his eyes made me shiver, the thought of the pain from that punishment still haunts me to this day.
With my message in mind, I approach Sisyphus very slowly whilst feeling my nerves getting worse.
"King Sisyphus? I have a message for you," I declared to him as I bent down onto one knee. My head stays down and refrain from even daring to look up at Sisyphus without any permission to.
There was a silence as he turned to look at me. "Comrade, why are you bent on one knee?" He asked me while offering a hand. "Stand up, you are not under me."
I took his hand and looked up towards him. The thought of how Sisyphus could kill me in a hundred different ways made me respect him in a way, respect and fear him. "Uhm... I have a message from King Minos. I am BEAD of the Lust Layer."
"Yes, please," Sisyphus had a very light smile as he looked down towards me. "We can speak of this in one of the many studies in this palace; I assume you'd like privacy.”
He is ambitious, fiery, and loyal, is how I remembered Minos describing him. He’s a true king of passion.
He represents Humanity’s Ambition.
In a small library, one of the studies I can assume, he sat down in a large chair. I sat down across in a normal-sized chair; perfectly tailored to me.
“Well, I can assume you’re King Minos’ project. BEAD, correct? I have heard of you.” His smile was barely there now. It seems he had a decent idea of me. “I would like to accept Minos’ offer of alliances, but we have too different approaches towards the angel’s horrors.”
I was a bit shocked at first, to be frank. And scared. What would happen now if I failed at my current objective?
“Sisyphus, I urge you to think thoroughly about this. Prithee!” I felt myself speaking unconsciously. It’s as if I was not talking for myself, but I have to make my objective. “We are a layer of peace, yes, but I know that we would be fierce like you in a time of need.” My claws were shown as I raised my hand into a fist of power. “My directive is to protect and serve my layer. Not cower when Heaven attacks. So, I art a war machine if needed for thy and Lust’s causes.”
Shit. Why was I saying that? I am not designed for war, tis not in my coding. Why have I ever believed that I could—
“You bring a strong point to the table, BEAD,” Sisyphus finally says. “You are an asset in yourself. Strong, loyal, and much more precise than my army could ever be. But here’s my question.” He stands and leans over me. I can see his face up close.
It was human. He had large pores, plenty of freckles from sun damage, and he reminded me much of God’s own Jesus Christ.
“ Why are you like this ? Because you wish to be or because you were forced to be?”