I've never really tried to do something as complex as this before. Each chapter in this story arch has overflowed with material. Episodes 8 and 9 were both over 3000 words long. This chapter is also going to be pretty long too. I've decided to pull out all the stops for you guys… I hope you all enjoy it.

-Bojack727

.o.o.o.

BLUE SUB: GAIDEN

Episode 10: "The Web of Illusions"

.o.o.o.

Dianna and Cray continued to step back as the crazed man before them readied the chainsaw in hands- the spinning blade more than capable of slicing through them in an instant.

With some reservation, Dianna turned to Cray. "Quickly, get out of here- get you and her somewhere safe!" She exclaimed.

Cray's eyes grew wide at her words, but he backed down, seeing the look in her eyes- the panic and doubt was there in abundance. "I- alright…" He replied weekly in acceptance.

Dianna then turned back around as the man began walking towards her, the dangerous machine in his hands humming menacingly as he advanced towards her.

He let out an inhuman scream, swinging the chainsaw at her and narrowly missing her head as she ducked out of the way. He grunted and swung wildly as she clambered away from him.

Her back came up against a post. She looked up, seeing that that it held up the awning of the front roof to the cottage. She remained still as she ran towards her…

Then, she stepped to the side and kicked the post, snapping it in two and bringing the sturdy wooden awning down on the lunatic.

She stepped away, drawing in frantic breaths and both the man and the chainsaw exploded forth from the rubble.

But, by that point, she had run around the back of the cottage. He began looking around and then made his way around the back. He spotted the shut door and drove the whirring blade through it and came smashing into the house.

Dianna plunged the large knife into his right shoulder from her vantage point on the side of the doorway.

He screamed, the chainsaw fell from his hands as he grabbed onto the handle of the knife. Dianna and taken it from the kitchen. He hissed as blood poured from the wound. By the time he pulled the knife out, Dianna was already in front of him, and swung the beef cleaver in her other hand right at him…

.o.o.o.

Cray ran with the young woman in his arms, suddenly coming to the entrance of the forest. He was briefly taken back- not expecting the find the start of the path so soon, but then ran through it.

He stepped into an open field. The sun shined brightly down on him, forcing him to squint his eyes. He carefully set the girl down in the grass and looked around. "Hello?" He called out.

"Can anybody hear me?!" He called out again and looked around. He spotted the edge of the Cliffside and walked up to it. He looked down saw waves crashing against the rocks below. There was a beach below that went on for what seemed like forever.

He then turned and spotted large stone tower in the distance.

"Ugh… where am I?"

Cray turned around and spotted the girl- no longer Red, but a woman who looked to be about 19 or 20 years old with brown hair. She was wearing a pair of gray overalls and a dark green long-sleeve shirt under it.

Cray walked over to her and looked at her. "I was wondering the same thing."

.o.o.o.

Commander Todd sped along in the carrier machine, slowing down as he came to the last known point of the strangers.

Olsa rested a hand on Tara's shoulder as they stood off to the side. "I think that it is time for him to shown the truth…" The older woman spoke.

Tara held a small wooden box in her hands. "Are you sure of this- he is not one of us, it may harm him." She replied.

Olsa nodded sternly. "Show him the Box of Jhana- if he is ready then it will do its work… we must try and sway things in our favor." She instructed her.

Tara nodded and left to approach Todd.

The older man turned to see the young female hybrid walk up to him, holding a box in her hands. She outstretched her arms, offering it to him.

He had begun to reach for his gun, but stopped. He tentatively regarded her. She was young and smiled an innocent smile at him. He didn't feel that she posed any threat to him.

He slowly reached out and took the box. He looked at it. "Do you want me to open this, young lady?" He asked carefully.

She nodded in affirmation with an innocent smile.

The Commander slowly undid the simple latch and opened the box. "…What… what's this supposed to be, I—" The box began to glow, and for some reason, Todd couldn't stop himself from gazing into the radiant white light coming from it.

Olsa stood by the side, silently waiting…

.o.o.o.

The smoke rolled along the rocky landscape in thick gray plumes, swirling everywhere. The silhouette of a single person could be seen as Dianna slowly stepped out of the haze and into the open.

She swung her hands around, trying to fan away the smoke. Everything looked so barren and lifeless.

"I see you are here at last."

She turned and saw a man standing in front of her. He was covered in a heavy black cloak and a cowl that came that covered his head. The cloak's lapels were flipped up and fanned to the sides from behind his head. His white face was the only thing visible.

It was then that she noticed something. Glancing down at herself and then around at the landscape, she looked back up at him. Everything was in shades of gray.

She smiled at him, finally recognizing the setting. "Very good, I like this- this whole Seventh Seal motif. It's very 'Ingmar Bergman' of you."

"We are without physical form; we can only borrow the forms of that from which the creator knows." The man replied.

"Well, there's no better way to get the attention of someone then with some classic German Surrealism." Dianna replied. "The only question now- is why?"

"You want to know why you are in this illusion?" The cloaked figure asked. "We brought you here to speak with you." He added.

Dianna frowned. "You keep saying 'we'… what do you mean?"

"We are the many that is the one." He replied. "Functioning in harmony as a single existence."

"Are you the ones responsible for this?" Dianna asked as the smoke rolled past them.

"One of us has done this, but the actions of the 'one' affect the many." He explained. "We are all part of the same existence."

"Separate aspects coming together to function as a single mass entity… so you're a gestalt?" She asked.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," He answered. "But in another sense- we are purely an abstract notion." He added. "But Creativity has left us- taking a new form in your reality." He explained.

"Why would one of the aspects of your collective leave?" Dianna asked, crossing her arms.

"Perhaps it was the arrival of the ones called 'humans'—he saw within them the ability for creative thought and imagination… and it made him envious." The figure explained.

"We have existed on this island since time en memoriam- the Fendrah are simple in their ways- they possess no pretence our greater desires." That is why nothing happened until the advent of the humans."

"Can't any of the rest of you do something?"

"We are formless, and if one of us becomes corporeal, then that one can influence the whole... we can exist as equals only when there is perfect balance." He added. "Creativity has gained the upper hand now."

"You are afflicted by the works of Creativity; he has entrapped you in all this." The stranger added.

"And what do you think that I can do in all this?" She replied bluntly.

"Unravel his webs of illusions- for they are his power. Their end will set all of us free."

"Can't you do anything to help?" She asked briskly.

"We are without shape; we cannot act- only observe and advise."

Dianna frowned and stepped forward. "Now wait just a moment! I don't know what's even going on here, I—"

"Perhaps we shall meet again, thought in what form I cannot say…" And with that, the stranger vanished.

Dianna became infuriated. "I don't even know where Cray and Janise are!" She exclaimed, clenching her fists.

She then looked around and noticed that she appeared to be back in reality. She looked over and spotted a strange machine. "I think it's time I paid these humans a visit."

.o.o.o.

"What you're telling me is that I was trapped in some sort of illusion?" Janise asked, seeing Cray nod. "And now, you and I are stuck in another one?"

"Yes, and I don't know where Dianna is, either." Cray admitted. "They only thing I could find was that." He added, pointing towards a tall tower in the distance.

"You seem to know about me," she began. "But who are you?" The girl asked him.

"My name is Cray, I'm a fisherman from the village of Alparda…" He replied, crossing his arms.

Janise stepped forward and looked up at it. "Can you hear singing?" she asked.

Cray stared at it for a while and nodded. "Yes, I can hear a voice singing… it's definitely coming from the tower." He replied.

"I guess those ears are good for something after all?" She remarked and took off running towards the tower.

"Hey, wait!" Cray exclaimed and chased after her.

It didn't take too long for them to get to the base of the tower. But they came to a stop when they began to look it over.

"I can't see anyway in." Janise remarked. "What about you, Mr. Fox?"

Cray came back from the other side of the tower. "My name is Cray, and no- I couldn't find anyway in either." He confessed.

Janise rubbed her chin. "This all seems so familiar… there's something about this all." She spoke. "A tower with no way in…"

"…and with only a window at the top." Cray added.

"Hey, wait a second… this is the tower from Rapunzel!" Janise exclaimed

"I'm afraid that I don't understand." Cray replied, looking off to the side.

Janise looked at him for a moment. "It's another story… There's a girl named Repunzel up there- she was trapped up there by a sorceress…" Janise explained, trying to recall as much as she could.

"As she grew up there, her hair grew out so long that it could be used as a rope for the sorceress to climb up." Janise paused. "Now at one point a prince heard her singing and climbed up and fell in love with her…"

"But how did he get up to the window?" Cray asked.

Janise glared at him accusingly. "…By using her hair as a rope!" She snapped back. "There was some sort of incantation to get her to let it down… but I can't remember what it is." She confessed, scratching her head.

"My, my, my, quite a little dilemma you have on your hands."

Janise jumped back and Cray sputtered as they spotted a tiny woman sitting on his shoulder. She glimmered and had a pair of translucent wings on her back.

"Such manners," The fairy pouted. "My name is Trink, and perhaps I can help you."

.o.o.o.

Dianna climbed into the carrier and examined the controls. "Well, this all seems pretty straight forward." She added. She pressed a button and the hatch came down over her. She then began working the controls.

Soon, the engine came to life, rumbling with power. She slowly pushed one of the levers forward and the machine lurched forward. "Alright, I have to keep a steady hand on this thing…" She told herself.

The Carrier began rumbling forward. She glanced over at a small display screen. "Let's see… the place where this came from must be the dome on the radar." She mused to herself. "I'd better get back there and tell them what's going on.

.o.o.o.

"I guess I shouldn't really be surprised at this point?" Janise asked the silver-haired fairy perched on Cray shoulder.

Trink straightened out her pink dress and crossed her legs. "Not really." She replied, twirling a few strands of Cray's blond hair around her fingers.

She then looked over at Cray and smiled impishly. "We observed you earlier on… and I must say that you and your lady friend were quite noisy inside that tent." She said with a smile.

Cray blanched at her words, blushing underneath his fur. "So that was you I saw?!" He exclaimed.

Janise shook her head. "How do you play into this- are you another illusion?"

Trink smiled, releasing Cray's hair and flew over in front of Janise's face. "Silly, I'm very real… thousands of years ago, my kind evolved from the insects on this island."

"H-how?" Janise asked, her eyes wide at the new tidbit of information offered by the tiny creature.

"Since the arrival of the Nexus, the entire island has been flooded with strange energy." She answered, landing on the girls head and sitting down Indian-style. "I'd guess that most of the life on this island was influenced in some way by the Nexus."

"What is the 'Nexus'?" Cray asked, still in awe of what was happening in front of him.

"The Nexus is… the Nexus." Trink replied. "Anyway," she inserted before either of them could protest her response. "I can help you."

The fairy looked over at the tower. "No door… always issues with a door… tell me, when is a door not a door?" She asked with a knowing smile, as if expecting the answer from them.

The two of them remained silent for a moment, thinking about the question put forth to them. Then suddenly, Janise snapped her fingers. "I've got it… a door is not a door… when it's… ajar!"

Cray looked down, noticing a glass jar in his hand with a note stuck in it. Trink covered her mouth and giggled.

"Well, I'd better be going- the Deceiver is bound to notice me soon." And with that, she vanished before their eyes.

Cray looked over at Janise, and then back down at the jar in his hand. He seemed to consider the situation for a moment and then finally decided to remove the lid.

He took it off and then slipped his hand inside it. He produced the piece of paper and set the jar down. Cray unfolded it and looked it over, he glanced back at Janise and smiled weakly. "I think… this is what you were talking about."

.o.o.o.

Dianna brought the Carrier to a halt and opened the hatch. She climbed out and looked around. She readily spotted the large dome before her. "Bingo." She thought.

She walked up to the entry point of the dome, only to have the large door slide open in front of her. She gazed down the small corridor and saw a light source coming from within.

She stepped inside. "Hello?" She uttered. "Is anyone here?" She asked, looking around. She walked over to a counter and glanced down at a file. She picked it up and flipped threw a few of the pages."

"Who are you?" A stern voice asked.

Dianna turned around as a serious looking woman in a white uniform stepped into the room. Dianna set the file back down and smiled at her. She took off her hat and placed a hand behind her head. "Well, I suppose that depends on who you are…" She replied after a moment.

The woman was clearly agitated by this. Frowning, she advanced further towards her. "I am Doctor Amanda Chase- Science Officer for this Expeditionary Survey Team, on behalf of the Pan-Oceanic Energy Consortium."

Dianna was silent for a moment. "Indeed," she replied with a nod. "I am Doctor Dianna Ainsley, Marine Biologist and Amateur Explorer." She replied in a dignified tone while never breaking her gaze on the woman.

Chase walked up to her and glared at her. "You must be one of the strangers on the Island that Commander Todd spoke of…"

"Yes, I imagine I am." She replied to the other woman's statement. "But there is something you might need to know about…"

Chase seemed to soften slightly. "In that case, where is Commander Todd?"

Dianna was silent, unsure of what to tell her. "Yes, about that… I didn't actually see him, I found that machine out there abandoned and piloted it back here by using the navigation system."

Chase went pale and looked away. "No… it can't be- the Commander is gone now as well…" She mumbled. "Now him as well…?"

Dianna placed a hand on her shoulder. "Have others of your party gone missing?"

The woman removed her glasses and looked at her. "There were six members of this Survey… Officer Burton vanished right away." Chase paused. "At the time, we had no idea of what exactly was on this island."

"Then what happened?" Dianna asked calmly.

"…A few weeks went by as we established this command post," she paused, waving a hand to motion at the structure they were in. "Under regulations, we began security sweeps of the island to establish a parameter… two more of our crew, Fell and Andrews vanished while doing this."

Dianna narrowed her eyes. "What, you're telling me that you just went about with your duties even after Burton went missing?" She asked. "You're still here now, after two more have vanished- three counting your Commander?"

Chase sighed and looked away. "I didn't want to be here from the start of this ordeal… but we're bound by contract to remain here till we can assess the potential energy source on this island." She explained.

"And Commander Todd believed that the Fendrah took the others, so he used that as further reason to stay here- even going so far as to take his own hostages."

Dianna stepped back. "I have some bad news for you…" She paused, reaching into her coat pocket and holding up a piece of material. "This is part of a jacket that my companion and I found."

Chase took the battered material and looked at it. Her eyes widened as she started to tremble. "…So Jackson is dead?" she asked in a quaking voice.

Dianna crossed her arms and leaned her shoulder against a wall. "At this point- given all the current facts, I'm afraid so…" She then looked over at Chase. "A greater power is work here- not the Fendrah- and it is threatening all of us, this entire island is encased is a series of powerful illusions."

"What on Earth do you mean?" Chase asked her, running a hand through her hair.

"We're being made the pawns in a very deadly game here… I've encountered a survivor from a previous ship that came here… in what seemed to be a recreation of a fairytale… Little Red Riding Hood."

"Are you being serious?" Chase asked indignantly. "I'm an intelligent woman- a scientist- you surely don't expect me to believe that you were trapped in 'Little Red Riding Hood'?!"

"I'm not asking you to believe me!" Dianna replied, snapping back around to face her. "Out there are two worlds, the one we know, and an elaborate creation of a malignant being!" Dianna added, getting right up in Chase's face.

"You were lured here as part of its game- it created what you wanted to find so you would come here… to become part of this damn thing!" Dianna added, pointing towards the door. "You might as well know that I met Fell out there as well!"

"What, is he alright?" Chase asked suddenly.

The taller woman paled. "No… he appeared to be knowingly playing a part in it."

Chase covered her mouth with her hand. "No, you're lying!"

Dianna grabbed her by the front of her shirt. "He was covered in dried blood and bandages all over…" Dianna spoke, snatching the bloody piece of material out of Chase's hand and holding it up to her.

"And he tried to kill me and my friend, as well as that pore girl who was in it with us!" Dianna finished and let go of her.

Chase stumbled back and glared at her. She then looked off to the side and walked over to a computer. She began pressing keys on it till a particular screen came on. "I'm checking Fell's psychological evaluation…" She explained.

Dianna walked over to her and looked over her shoulder at the screen. Part of the information stuck out to them both…

"…the Patient shows signs of aggressive tendencies, coupled with underlying aspects of schizophrenia and paranoia…"

"It seems your employers aren't so nice and neat as they want you to think." Dianna remarked to her.

Chase backed away, up against Dianna and then turned to look at her. "W-we have to get Kimble, he's the commanding officer now… he'll authorize the bypass of the procedures so we can get out of here."

Dianna nodded. "Can you pilot this thing?" she asked.

"I had no choice but to familiarize myself with the controls… after the others vanished… so I can probably get us out of here with his help."

Dianna shook her head. "Wait, go get Kimble and ready this ship- I still have to find the others before we can all get out of here."

"…Well now, that was quite an interesting little exchange you two just had- so full of information and intriguing tidbits."

Both of them turned around to see Kimble walk out into the room from the same doorway that Chase had come through.

He looked at them both and smiled. "But I'm afraid that none of us are going anywhere." He added, his arm coming from behind his back and training his gun on them. "As of now, this complex is under emergency lockdown."

Chase glared at him. "Are you crazy?!" She exclaimed. "We're all in danger here… and you have neither the authority nor the right to do this!"

Kimble smiled as the two Fendrah hostages emerged from around the corner and walked up behind him. Both of them had guns and were aiming at Dianna and chase. "NO!" Chase cried out as she backed away.

Kimble smiled maniacally at them. "I have the authority!" He exclaimed. "I have the power of life and death here!" He screamed.

(- End of Part 10 -)

.o.o.o.

Just over 3800 words for your enjoyment… This chapter stretched out for eleven pages as I wrote it. I hope that find this latest chapter interesting.

-Bojack727