Author's note: I don't own Star Ocean Till The End Of Time

The True Nature Of All

Chapter 23: An Unexpected Door

Albel turned slightly and picked up the sword. Upon so doing, the lights stopped. He gave it a single experimental slice. Airyglyph XIII turned away, his head turned to the side, a smile gracing his lips; relief had flooded through Arzei, Nixie, Glou and especially Airlia as the King spoke, "Well done. A splendid accomplishment indeed, Albel." He left to return to the throne room.

Airlia ran to Albel to ensure he was ok, he shook it off saying, "My head aches a bit, but that wasn't so bad at all. I can leave at any time." Airlia was tempted to slap him for scaring her beyond her wits, and for how callous he was. However she had found out the truth of things due to the sword, and for that, she would be forever grateful. Nixie and Glou embraced their son, happy that he had grown so much that the sword had accepted him. "Father, Mother, please forgive me, but we have to take care of our problems, then we will return, I promise."

They began to leave when the familiar shop keeper that stocks weapons flagged them down, "Your Highness! I have new stock that you may want to look at. You know I would not want anyone to give you a terrible deal on these weapons!" Airlia shook her head, thinking about the weapons that they had just purchased. However, she knew it was best to humor him to ensure that nothing had been missed. If there was a better upgrade for at least Sophia, it would be worth it.

When they went in, they saw various swords that had not been in existence prior. They turned over their weapons with the exception of Maria and Albel. Every weapon that was given was in the best condition that he had ever seen; maybe even better than what they were first given in. He smiled, "I'll call it a day with the swap of the weapons." Everyone walked out with new weapons, including Sophia. Airlia and Fayt now had Veinslays. Albel had a Claw of Judgment to compliment the Crimson Scourge. Sophia had the Rod of the Evil Eye. Nel now had Ice Blades. Roger adjusted his new weapon, a Paladin's Helm. He had kept his Saint's Halberd as Albel kept his katana. Cliff and Mirage flexed their new weapons, Mythril Gauntlets. Peppita was happy with the Damask Gauntlet. Adray had a new katana, The Immortal. Maria opted to remain with her Gravity Blaster. Anything else would have brought her strength back down. Their armors remained the same as there was nothing better for them at that point.

Everyone moved quickly to get to the town of Peterny to ensure that they wasted no time moving through the Dunes. They made it to Surferio and everyone sat for a moment to rest their legs. They had run nonstop to the town. With that, they ate a light lunch, packing some food for later in case it was needed. With that, they went to the cave that led to the Mosel Dunes. When they reached it, even with the aqua veil, it seemed undeniably hotter than normal. Fayt gasped out, "Phew... This heat is unrelenting." Everyone nodded and they proceeded until they went to the edge that led to a clearing just before the desert. Airlia gasped softly as Albel hissed.

Everyone paled in shock as a huge Chimera appeared. It was a winged beast with a snake head on the right as you looked at it and a ram on the right side and a lion for a head. The tail was snake like. It breathed fire from its mouth as everyone took out their new weapons. "I think it's time to give our weapons a test run." Airlia focused her energies on a trinket that she found in her pack. She knew it had to mean something. When she attacked with her sword, it seemed to drastically weaken the beast. She looked at it closely. There had been a Durian Stun Bomb-R4 attached to it. She reached into her pocket and pulled out several more. She signaled for everyone to retreat away and threw them at him. When they struck, he fell to the ground, lifeless. Airlia smiled. "It worked!" Everyone was shocked until Airlia supplied the reason. "I had made these by accident, but wanted no one to have things that could do what they just did to hurt another human. At least it came into use." Everyone nodded as they proceeded in deeper into the desert.

They ran away from the monsters and made it safely into the ruins. They sat down to breath for one more moment. Airlia grimaced, "It's going to only get harder from here, anyone who wants to back down, and I won't blame you. Just wait here where the monsters won't come and when we come back, we can all leave together." Everyone vehemently shook their heads. Airlia smiled a ghost of a smile, "Thank you, all of you…" They stood back up and proceeded back into the ruins. They went to where the conference was.

As they made it in, suddenly there was a stomping noise coming their way, and quickly… Albel ran to Airlia. "Do you have any more of those bombs?" Airlia nodded and handed him a few, it was just about two less than the number she had used on the other beast.

When it broke through, before it could come up, Albel tossed a few to weaken it. When it finally got up to their level, he tossed the remaining one and killed it instantly. They worked their way around the fallen golem as they found themselves in a strange chamber. It looked like it had an altar and a possible gateway. Fayt asked softly, "Is this the gate?"

Sophia looked in thought as she spoke, "I wonder... Blair said there'd be one that looked like an altar."

Maria shook her head as she took the lead, "Thinking about it won't do any good. Let's give it a try."

Fayt nodded, "Okay then. Sophia?" When she looked at Fayt, Airlia saw the fear in her eyes. Fayt whether he saw it or not; it didn't matter as he smiled gently and said, "Don't worry... I'll go with you."

Sophia nodded with a smile as the pair approached the altar. When she placed it on the stone altar, she focused her mind on opening the gate. Suddenly the wall split down the middle and pulled apart. Everyone made various sounds of gasping as Maria and Airlia went to support Sophia. She was still getting used to using her powers. Airlia spoke next as Roger handed Sophia a vial to restore her strength, "Let's go... Luther's in here somewhere." When they proceeded, they weren't sure what they were going to see. Inside was a room of blue and white lights with various red lines lining the walls.

Everyone was suspicious, as you never knew what waited around the corner of an enemy home area. Fayt asked softly, "Is this it?"

Sophia nodded, "I think so..."

Maria nodded, "He's in here somewhere. I know it."

Cliff nodded sagely, "Must be."

Nel grimaced as she remained on high alert, "Something doesn't feel right guys."

Airlia nodded, "Let's be careful at all times!"

Sophia smiled weakly, "We're here at last."

Fayt agreed softly, trying to keep his thoughts in order, "Yeah... We made it."

A voice came out from behind them. When they turned around, they saw Blair, "Oh, there you are."

Sophia was shocked to see her, "Blair!?"

Fayt was now even more suspicious, "What are you doing here?"

Blair nodded as she spoke, "I wanted to help you. I wish I could've come here in physical form, but it wasn't possible. The best I could manage is in this projection. I'm not surprised since it's the Owner's Special Development Lab."

Maria looked suspicious, "The Owner's Special what? Does this place have any security measures we need to know about?"

Blair nodded as she explained more, "Yes. After all, it's where he does his work... Even we developers do not have free access."

Cliff shrugged his shoulders as he stayed close to Nel, "How annoying."

Fayt asked softly, trying to ensure that they were at the right place, "So this is where we can find the Owner...Luther?"

Blair shook her head softly, "No... He's not here."

Nel growled low, "What do you mean? I feel like we are being lead around by our noses."

Peppita was also suspicious, "Have you been lying to us, Blair!?"

Albel growled low, pulled out his Crimson Scourge with his good hand. His other hand was geared to slice her up, "Is this a setup? I'm gonna cut that pretty little head off your shoulders if it is, especially if it has something to do with my Princess!"

Roger looked ready to despair as he spoke, "What? You didn't...trick us...did you?"

Blair shook her head, "No, don't get me wrong. Rest assured, I haven't betrayed you."

Sophia wasn't sure what she meant by that. They had done everything to the letter that she had asked of the group thus far and yet he wasn't there…? No one could seem to get it.

So Airlia asked softly, "Well then, if he's not here, then where could he be?"

Adray demanded briskly, "You're gonna fill us in, right?"

Blair nodded as she spoke, "This is a passageway linking the Owner's space and the Eternal Sphere. All program information is transferred to the Eternal Sphere through here. Consider it as a kind of conduit. It also serves as a firewall, a defense that blocks illegal access from outside."

Maria sighed heavy heartedly, "I see."

Cliff growled low as he had to resist the pull of the red haired lady as he spoke, "That means there will probably be traps and other defenses." Nel, however, was under no such constraint as she leaned into him, making it seem like she was just resting lightly. Cliff however, reveled in the feeling.

Blair spoke up next, "Most likely. But I don't know much more than that. ...Let's go. I'll try to help the best I can."

Airlia led the way, guessing for the most part by staying close to one of the walls. The group saw only one nasty attack bot in the first hallway. A few hits from Airlia, Adray, Sophia and Nel quickly terminated its existence. They proceeded to go forward where they found a battlecopter. Maria, Cliff and Mirage took it down quickly enough. Into the next hall, they found yet another attack bot. After fighting it off, the group quickly moved to the next hall to find nothing but trouble. There were strange crystal objects that look like they could seriously hurt someone. Blair paled at the sight, "Be careful everyone, those can seriously hurt you. That is why there are no monsters here.

Think of them like scanners for 'viruses' and we're the 'viruses' because it can't identify us as anything else." Everyone nodded as they bolted down the right hand path. Then they raced to double around by going down that path and turning left when they came to a forced T-intersection. Then they immediately went due north and turned left, Airlia, with help of Albel managed to avoid the polyhedrons. She had tripped and he doubled back and grabbed her arms, pulling her up and away into his arms as he bolted back for the safety of the next room. Albel growled low as he set his love down and pulled out the Scourge and launched into a furious assault. Aided by Fayt and Maria, the Masque and attack bots died quickly.

When he came back, she was already on her feet and smiling. He felt bad that he couldn't protect her more… The look she gave him showed much, of her thanks, her love for him and that she was grateful that he was her knight. He had the grace to duck his face to hide the blush for a moment. Then they continued their grueling pace. They went north again to the top and found another intersection. They turned right and found themselves in another tunnel with those polyhedrons. Everyone secured their items to reduce anything lagging or hitting them awkwardly. They waited until they saw the polyhedron pass them and ran after it, trying to ensure that they didn't touch it when they saw another one coming at them.

They found a side tunnel and ducked into it. When it went past, they took off and rounded the corner to go south. Upon entering, they ducked to their left. Upon entering, they found polyhedrons coming very close to them. When they passed, the group ran to the north and turned left. They followed the path up and through the next green doorway. They found another monster; this one was an Elder Eye. They targeted the magic on it, and with draining the magic from it, the monster quickly depart this life.

They followed the path to the right since the other door was dark blue and thereby, unable to be gone through. There, they found another Masque. Roger and Peppita killed it with ease as Nel smirked at the pair. They had grown into fast friends. In fact, it gave Airlia an idea… They found a strange switch that was light green. Upon Fayt walking in to examine it, it turned dark blue and the door turned green once more. They started to walk past it and Airlia held Peppita back for a minute… "Peppita, after this is done, if you want, your troupe could come to this world. No one has ever seen a circus and you should be quite popular."

Peppita looked hopeful as Nel caught her eyes and nodded, indicating she had heard the talk and agreed with them. Peppita's eyes brightened up for the first time in too long. It painfully reminded them of the results of the devastating war that was raging through the galaxy… They had to consider themselves quite lucky that they remained unknown through all of that for as long as they had… After they got back, they went through the door that was to their north and found another devastating maze.

Everyone groaned; this wouldn't be easy… There were so many polyhedrons that it frightened them deeply. They opted to split into two groups. They weren't sure which path was correct. Fayt waived his communicator as did Airlia. Fayt, Cliff, Nel, Maria and Sophia went on the path to the right while Airlia, Albel, Blair, Mirage, Adray, Peppita and Roger went to path right in front of them. As they passed, they managed to avoid the polyhedrons and found a dark blue door. Airlia called for the others and upon no response, they figured they might still be trying to find a way on their path.

Albel got frustrated when Airlia simply gave him a look, sighing, he sat down. Airlia nodded as she said simply, "We wait for them to respond. I'm sure this is the right door in the end, and for now there's nothing we can do… I don't like it any more than anyone else, believe me."

After a few minutes of silence, the radio kicked on, "Airlia, Fayt here. You tried to call before?"

Airlia smiled as she responded, "Yes, we found a dark blue door; however, I think this is the path forward. If you find a switch over there, let me know as you hit it and I'll tell you what we see."

Airlia could picture Fayt nodding as he said, "You got it Airlia."

When the silence resumed, Airlia remarked, "We should eat something quickly when the guys return to ensure that our strength is back to par. It wouldn't do to pass out for something like that."

Everyone nodded as they waited for the response from the others. Fayt's voice rang out on the communicator as he said, "Watch the door."

Airlia smiled as she saw it turn green. "I think that did it, now hurry back guys and be careful."

Fayt's voice resounded, "Right, be there shortly sis..."

Airlia knew that was one of the first times that he had called her sister. She smiled, but leaned back against Albel as she let her eyes close for just a moment. She was awoken by a gentle shake. Looking around, she saw the others were coming to them. "Thanks Albel."

He grinned as he murmured, "It was nothing. I knew you needed a quick rest. I know that it picks you right up."

When the others arrived, Airlia pulled out some snacks. "Best to eat now, we might not get a chance later…" They nodded in agreement as they quickly ate and drank what they brought with them.

They had no idea how right she was… Had they known, they would have just blown the place to hell…

However, they bounded straight through the now green door. They saw a strange looking object. Fayt had to ask, "What's that? Apparently, that's the exit-and the entrance to the space where Luther lives. Correct?"

Blair nodded as she shouted, "Watch out!"

A Battlecopter suddenly appeared out of now where. Airlia had no doubt that the target was Fayt. The battle began as Airlia barraged it with Fire Bolts and Nel barraged it with Ice Needles. Fayt finished it off with a round of Explosion. It appeared to move, so Sophia's Earth Glaive was just enough to ensure that it would not bother anyone ever again. They saw the teleportation machine ready to go. Fayt looked at everyone as he said, "Let's go."