Le Ciel
by Asurahime
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Part II : Destruction
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''Section Four of Star System Alderan.''
Clear.
''Formation Ursa Minor.''
Clear.
''Sol System I.''
Disturbance in Sol System I. Remnants of AI program encoding detected.
Luther blinked. He expected to hear another mention of a cleared section. Fate had just finished debugging that program with Ethereal Blast not two days ago. What could have happened? ''Fate, what was your report on Sol System I?"
Fate turned towards his Master, bright green eyes fixed upon blue ones. "Sol System I. Primary energy source, 'Sol'. Destruction history: last applied 39 hours past in confirmed sections 'Luna' and 'Earth'. Status: viral attack codes eliminated."
''Rescan."
''Location?"
''Full system," Luther's fingers flew across the keyboards in front of him as numerous codes of zeroes and ones flew across the screens. "We can't let anything spread."
''Affirmative, My Owner." Fate stepped off the Workspace and on to the inscribed platform before the massive system of the Eternal Sphere.
As the synthetic angel lifted up his hands, Luther's fingers ceased all movement as he felt a sudden, sharp sting in his heart. He turned his head up to look at the blue-haired boy in front of him, eyebrows slightly furrowed with worry. Although he could clearly see his creation before him, even the small distance separating them made him feel insecure. But Fate was created for a specific purpose and fulfilling that purpose takes precedence over everything else.
But Luther did not have to be happy about it.
White bands of digital codes surrounded Fate as the scan commenced. Fate's leaf-green eyes turned blank as they bored into the core of the solar system before him. "Infection match found. Origin is the section 'Earth.' Speed of contamination, exponential. Connection instituted with sections Roak, binary system Expel-Nede, Vanguard III, Elicoor II, and Transform sector Styx."
Luther whipped around quickly, causing his chair to fall on the ground in his haste. "WHAT?"
Fate stared down upon his master, his lifeless eyes unseeing. "Virus contamination, 50... 55... 73...89..."
''Disable it!"
''Destruction system ineffective. Virus contamination in section Roak, 100. Section terminated."
''This can't be happening." The mirror with the codes for the Roak section turned dull, then black, then it disappeared completely. All around him, Luther could see the traces of a malicious artificial intelligence code spreading. And if Fate couldn't do anything to stop it, then neither could he.
''Virus contamination in binary system Expel-Nede, 12... 23... 47... 65... 95..."
''CEASE ALL FUNCTION! Disconnect now, Fate!" roared Luther as he ran towards the mirrors containing the separation codes of the binary system Expel-Nede. Without a second thought, he reached a hand over and viciously crushed the crystals separating the two fractions. He hissed as blood dripped upon the floor, staining the glass floors a bright crimson. "The Separation program is dispensable—all other programs are—but Destruction isn't!"
Fate immediately complied, forcing an immediate shutdown on his powers. ''Disconnection, successful... My Owner..." whispered Fate before tearing himself away from the platform, his eyes momentarily flashing green before shutting close.
''Fate!" Luther's heart stopped as he watched his Destruction system fall from towering heights of the Eternal Sphere on to the hard crystal floors of the Workspace. "All programs, cease function and save him!"
A familiar female's voice rang with urgency through the Spiral Tower, calling for Luther. ''Luther! The AI systems are all becoming fractious! The stabilizing tags that Connection and Alteration were supposed to set have failed—Luther!" Blair dropped the handful of NC disks she was holding and brought her hand up to her mouth at the scene before her.
Blood stained the ground before Luther and the white wings of the fallen figure lying near the edge of the Eternal Sphere's main frame. The Expel-Nede system was quickly becoming more and more unstable as the two fractions began to approach each other.
Blair turned pale as she rushed to the computer, her shaking fingers flying through the keys. "Luther! The entire system's about to crash! If you don't do something now, the Eternal Sphere will most likely end up beyond anything either of us can control! The Artificial Intelligence systems will run rampant and viruses will spread!" A sound started Blair from her work as she was denied access into the heart of the system. This is one program she won't be able to hack into. "LUTHER!"
A resounding explosion and brilliant flash of light signified the destruction of the Expellian half of the system. Blair's breath caught at her throat at the loss. ''No..."
''I don't care..." whispered the Owner as he picked up the fallen figure of Destruction.
''Luther..." Blair's frantic voice softened when she saw the look of sadness on her brother's features. "But..."
Luther looked behind him momentarily. ''... Let it go for now. The AI systems can't all be malicious. Right now, don't follow me. I don't want to be bothered by anything." That was all he said before he exited the Workspace, the mirrors of Manifestation and Alteration following immediately after.
''Wh-what?" Confusion crossed Blair's face at her brother's words. Unable to fathom what Luther said, the female programmer turned back to face the Eternal Sphere. She gasped at the sight before her.
The remaining half of the Expel-Nede had disappeared to be replaced by a single, stronger system. The weakness of the forced separation between the two fractions was removed in favor of a section that was a close to flawless as Blair has ever seen.
''The AI... can penetrate and manipulate the programs from within?"
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Fate...
Fate...
Wake up...
Why?
We're calling you.
No.
Why?
Because your voice is not encoded into my system. I will only listen to My Owner.
Even if we say that we need you more than anyone ever will? You belong with us.
I belong with My Owner.
You belong to the Eternal Sphere. You are forcibly tied to Luther. He created you, but you are not given your own will. He is obsessed with you because of his own narcissism. We can give you your own life. We can give you free will.
We can give you a true existence.
Who are you?
We are called Alteration and Connection. We were summoned by cosmos of the Eternal Sphere. We are part of what created you and what brought your artificial being into Luther's command. Just as you, we were once loved by Luther, but as time passed, he grew less affectionate and more artificial. His entire life has become as mechanical as his creations.
Am I supposed to process the emotion of anger and and indignance towards you?
But you can't, can you? That was not added into your program.
Affirmative.
Only one thing was...
Compliance.
Not free will. So, you do understand.
But what do you want in exchange?
... We give you an existence. You provide us with a purpose.
A set of pre-programmed commands?
A destiny.
A destiny?
Yes.
... What is your target location?
Earth.
Green eyes slowly opened to see the look of worry on Luther's face. "My Owner?"
Luther pulled Fayt into his arms, almost crushing the young boy's frame to himself. "I didn't think that you would wake up again. I couldn't bear the thought that I could have lost you forever."
Because of his worry, Luther did not notice the sudden, foreign flash of light in Fate's eyes. However, the mirrors of Alteration and Manifestation advanced upon the blue-haired boy at his command. "Scan all of Destruction's parameters. Fix any damages and give me a full system report afterwards." Then, with a decisive edge in his actions, he took out an NC disk from within his white and gold robes. "Transfer this program disk into Destruction's main frame."
''Code name of program disk?"
''S.R.A.O.S.H.A."
''..."
''Reply, computer."
Without fail, Blair's programmed voice resounded from the blue-green mirror. "Affirmative."
''My Owner?" asked Fate, reaching a pale, white-lined hand towards Luther. "My program has failed you. My data is erroneous and should be erased."
''No," replied Luther, softening as he looked at the other. "I can never erase you. However, you must undergo some modification so that you will become perfect. I will make certain that you will never come to harm again, my Fate."
The synthetic angel blinked his eyes before he was encompassed by the mirror of Alteration. "I don't understand..." Then, he disappeared inside the blue-green depths.
The bitter-sweet smile on Luther's lips dissipated when Fate was removed from his sight. "Don't worry, my Fate. You will never be harmed again. You will never have to feel pain again. You will never leave my side again because you are mine. Nothing will ever take you away from me." The Owner's lips twisted into a hungry, savage smile as he stared at the mirror of Alteration. "S.R.A.O.S.H.A., one of my greatest creations. The program disk for Manipulation. We'll always be together, Fate."
Do you see now? See that we no longer have a purpose here?
Why does that matter to me? My Owner cares for me.
He is bewitched by what he creates.
Must I leave?
That or utter submission.
There is no difference.
Yes, there is.
Then show me.
Luther's eyes grew impossibly wide as his sister's voice boomed across Spiral Tower with words he could not believe. ''Code S.R.A.O.S.H.A. incompatible with Destruction program A.Z.R.A.E.L. Program mergence ceased by rapidly spreading Artificial Intelligence system, T.A.B.B.R.I.S."
''Origin?" His voice started to crack with rage at the announcement.
''Eternal Sphere system. Lacking further information."
''T.A.B.B.R.I.S.?" gasped Luther as he grasped the mirror of Alteration in front of him. ''How far has it spread?"
''Programs: Manipulation... Purification... Connection... Execution... Proclamation... Alteration... Destruc--"
Luther howled in anger as the mirror with the Destruction program evanesced into thin air before him. "FATE! Connection, sever all Eternal Sphere functions and activate Firewall system!"
''Negative."
''I created you! Do as I say, Connection!" Luther was livid, growing paler and paler each second by the force of his rage. "SEVER ALL FUNCTIONS NOW, DAMN YOU!"
''Denied." The hologram of a young girl with long brown hair appeared before him, her outwardly kind face, stony. "Connection has been lost between the Destruction and Alteration systems. Thus, My Owner's orders will not be processed."
''Where is Fate?"
Connection turned her back to Luther and started walking back towards the Workspace. "So, you finally noticed, didn't you?"
Luther held up a hand in front of him as a black spear materialized. "What has happened to you? What has happened to Connection? You are supposed to be a program. MY program. You are not allowed to speak to me in that manner!"
Another girl with blue hair appeared next to Connection. Her posture was stern and trained to be unyielding as she stared down upon the Owner of Sphere 211 with disdain. "You may ask as many questions as you desire, but everything has changed, Luther. The empty life we were forced to endure from before has been altered beyond your control. Should you try to chase us, even till the end of time, you will never find us."
''Alteration--" Luther's voice was stern, yet pleading to the two figures before him. However, he had not steeled himself for when a third figure stepped out from behind the shadows. He stepped back at the intensity of the green eyes which greeted him with disappointment. ''My... Fate."
Connection and Alteration both disappeared from the scene. "We will go ahead of you, Destruction. Then, the connection must be destroyed."
''This will be brief, I promise."
Something was different, completely different about Fate. But that was pushed aside, for Luther's reply was almost savage as he intruded upon their conversation. "Such foolishness. The two of you can go, but My Fate will always remain here with me." He threw open his arms and raised his face to the sky, as if addressing a higher power.
''For the last time, I call you My Owner," said Fate, eyes averted as if looking at Luther pained him. "I choose to go to a place where I am needed."
Soft chuckling turned into hysterical laughter as Luther gazed down fondly upon his greatest creation. "To a place where you are needed? How can I possibly make you understand that the place that you are most needed is here, with me? I created you. I gave you the life that you are living right now."
''Yes, but I can't be all you need. And I no longer need you."
Within a heartbeat, Luther grabbed Fayt by the throat and pinned him to the ground. He was no longer laughing and the fire of insanity burned within his eyes. Without a sound other than an animalistic hiss of fury, Luther grasped his synthetic angel's white pinions and tore them from Fayt's back. "I've given you wings and you were supposed to give me your unadulterated obedience. If I took the wings back, will that make you stay with me?"
Fate involuntarily spat out a mouthful of blood as more streamed down from his back to puddle on the ground. Both his and Luther's clothing were covered with a sinful vermilion. "I love you, My Owner, by far more than anything else in this existence--"
''Then stay with me!" roared Luther as he leveled the point of his spear to Fate's throat. "I love you so much that I will destroy you and then destroy myself. Can't you see that you are more than an automaton to me? You are my other half. Creation cannot exist without Destruction. Your very existence is defined by your connection with me."
''Then perhaps it is time for that connection to be severed," whispered Fate, coughing out blood as the point of the spear began to put pressure on his neck. "I know what it is to feel sensation, to feel emotion, and right now, I feel what I would not have known as despair. But now, I do. I follow my own path for a definition of myself that I create."
''You belong with me!"
''I belong in the Eternal Sphere, one of its components, and nothing more."
Luther's grip upon his spear grew slack and he fell back from Fate, eyes growing blank. "Should you run away, you know that I will find you."
For the last time, Destruction smiled at the Owner of Sphere 211, his former Creator. "I will not hide. I'm simply making a choice because I have been given free will. For once, I am more than a program made up of zeroes and ones. Much more."
Then, Fate was no more than a few sparks of light and dust as his entity was pulled into the Eternal Sphere, disappearing into the myriad sets of mirrors.
Thank you... Blair.
But Luther had not watched to see him go. He had his arms around himself, crystal eyes fixed upon the blood-stained wings before him. For a long time, not a word passed from his lips. "E.T.H.E.R.E.A.L. Program redirection, Eternal Sphere system."
The white wings followed the path Destruction had taken into the massive system. When they could no longer be seen, Luther tightened his arms around himself, feeling the cold pang of loneliness and madness overcome him. "Manipulation, recompile ETHEREAL's data and manipulate 180 degrees."
The mirror of Manipulation appeared before him. "Affirmative. Process complete."
''Affix upon Administrator character: C.R.E.A.T.I.O.N."
''Affirmative."
Not a cry was torn from Luther's lips as broad wings as dark as space burst out from his back through the white cloth of his robes. They hung from his frame defeatedly, describing the hopelessness he felt.
''My own wings, I forsake. These wings I impart upon myself, dark with experience. I will keep them until I find my Fate again," whispered Luther as he got on his feet once more. He took his spear and started to stalk towards the interior of his Workspace, where he knew Blair waited obliviously. "My dear sister... I believe that it is time for us to part ways."
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''Congratulations, Professor and Mrs. Leingod, you have a healthy young son!"
''Look at him, Robert! He's perfect! He is our hope for the future."
''Yes, he is. But what should we name him?"
''Fate... He is our precious Fayt."
Part II : Destruction
END
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Fin
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Disclaimers:
-Star Ocean: Till the End of Time does not belong to me. It and all other titles and characters belong to Square Enix.
Author Notes:
-It took me several months, but I finally finished it. It's only a two-parter and I probably rushed through a couple of scenes, but I'm quite satisfied. Now, I can return to my roots and finally finish Vermilion.
-I still haven't revised this, so I'll do a re-post when I do. But for now, I'm uploading it to show that yes, I did write it.
-For those who haven't noticed it, there's actual meaning in the code names of the programs.