Phase Space

Phase Space (位相空間) refers to a location which is in another dimension, plane, or space that cannot be accessed through normal terrestrial means.

Background
In general definitions of usage, the term 'phase space' refers to a space that is built with a specific function or purpose in mind. They differ from concepts such as the Spirit World or The Beyond, being much smaller in scale, but may be located on other Planes.

Phase spaces are usually large enclosed areas that are accessed from the physical world through a form of anchor or portal. For example, the Trial grounds of Erebonia's Divine Knights are accessed through purpose-built doors or portals which shift throughout the empire whereas in the case of Ouroboros's Celestial Globe, all that is needed is a verbal request for access from a certain location, (The Sanctuary of the Glorious in this case).

Typically, they resemble large causeways or halls suspended in vast empty spaces which often resemble galaxies and nebulas, although it is not uncommon for them to have sprawling fantastical landscapes in the background which have no basis in reality. Their form may not even be fixed in shape, with some spaces shifting around into different configurations.

Most phase spaces are observed to be highly spiritual locations where the three 'higher elements' of Space, Mirage and Time are active. They are also frequently inhabited by fiends and spirits as well as large quantities of mana. certain phase spaces may also have other special characteristics as well, such as being candidates for a Rivalry or being referred to as a 'sacred realm.'

It has been observed that phase spaces can be broken into with brute force.McBurn was able to break into the Celestial Globe using his sword Angbar which was synonymous with the Divergent laws. It is also possible to access phase spaces digitally, with both Campanella breaching Crossbell's orbal network' space through use of the Astral Code and also M.T.S.C. accessing the Celestial Globe.

The construction and utilisation of phase space largely seems to have been the domain of the Ancient Zemurian civilisation, with remnants of their technology surviving to the present day. The use of Animist structures as entry points for phase space could indicate that the knowledge precedes even the seven civilisations that existed before the Great Collapse however. Celeste D. Auslese's faction from the Liber Ark is known to have used phase spaces in their Tetracyclic Towers and Recluse Cube technology.

The Gnomes are noted to be particular masters of using large scale phase spaces and the expansion of flexible materials. With assistance from the Hexen Clan, a series of spiritual domains and spaces were set up across the Empire and used for various purposes including facilitating the Rivalries and cultivation of Zemurian Ore. The Hexen Clan also presided over the Luna Sanctuary, a phase space used to house their ancestral Artifact: the Spectral Moon Mirror.

Altered Space
Located in Liberl's Tetracyclic Towers, The Altered Space (異空間) is the true interior of the artifact system. There are four Altered Spaces in total, one for each of the lower elements and towers. The towers themselves are part of Celeste's second defensive mechanism against the Liber Ark's return (The Ark itself being sealed in a separate dimensional space). Should the temporal barrier held in place at the Sealed Area fail, the Tetracyclic Towers would then activate. The Altered Space is accessed from the base of the tower via glowing portal, and lead sup to the roof where a large barrier has been erected over the device maintaining the barrier. The spaces are filled with Archaism defenders matching the element of the tower. With the disabling of all four towers, the altered space became defunct.

The Celestial Globe
The Celestial Globe is a phase space for use of the Anguis of Ouroboros to communicate with one another, Campanella and the Grandmaster. On occasion, a few other enforcers have been received as well. The Celestial Globe contains a large translucent platform where those addressing the Anguis and Grandmaster stand. It is inscribed with an unknown text. Around the platform are Seven pillars which are inscribed with the Roman numerals for each Anguis, lighting up when that Anguis is present. Behind the I pillar is the largest pillar of all, that of the Grandmaster who is seemingly always present. Access the globe is given to Angius, but campanella is able to request access in the stead of a missing candidate. He does this from on board the Glorious within the sanctuary. Notably, McBurn has shown the ability to break into the Globe using Angbar, and organisations such as M.T.S.C have gained access digitally to obtain an audience. (In Marduk's case it was on behalf of Roy Gramheart.)

Phantasma
Phantasma is a sub-spatial location created as a subsystem for the Aureole to help it process and manage the wish fulfilment of the the Liber Ark's population. Whilst Phantasma itself may classify as a phase space owing to its properties outside the normal physical world and existence as a multi-planed structure, it also contains several typical examples of Phase spaces within itself. In addition to these, it has altered copies of Grancel, Le Locle, Erbe Scenic Route, Aster House, Gehenna and Arteria's cathedral. The Hermit's Garden itself is a hub phase space used to access the rest of the planes and sees use as a rest and preparation area. meanwhile, the Farewell Arena serves a location for the final confrontation with the Schwarzritter.

The Jade Corridor
A smaller phase space acting as the first plane of Phantasma. It has long translucent Jade walkways and hosts a variety of undead skeletal enemies and fiends. A copy of the Arseille is found on this plane. Kevin Graham and the party come face to face with the Schwarzritter and a copy of one of the Seventy-Seven Devils, Bennu at the end.

The Golden & Silver Roads
The Golden and Silver Roads are a phase space that act as the third plane of Phantasma, requiring Kevin to split the party into two halves in order to traverse it and complete the trial. Ries Argent heads the second party. The roads are filled with fiends from folklore and fairy tales and at the end, both parties come face to face with duplicates of the other party's leader formed from Grimoires and backed up by fiend death sluggers and haunted mirrors.

The Umbral Labyrinth & Luminous Labyrinth
The Umbral and Luminous Labyrinth collectively act as the fifth plane of Phantasma, each representing dark and light respectively. Portals link the two together and each is infested with various 'dream devils' a sub class of fiends that specialise in attacking the mind. The party come head to head with more of the Seventy-Seven Devils at the conclusion of the plane, Arachne Zigma and her kin. A copy of Pater-Mater can be found on this plane.

The Azure Tree
The Azure Tree is a manifestation of the artificial Sept-Terrion, Azure Demiourgos as a result of the Azure-Zero Project of the Crois Family. The large cloud-spanning tree itself manifests in the Lake Elm wetlands, but its true from can be accessed by flying into it. It is filled with spirits and fiends. Within the tree are four more spaces, each based on the mindset of a special guardian within the tree.
 * The Territory of Shou - Wald Wales
 * The Territory of Shiki - Shirley Orlando
 * The Territory of Gou - Sigmund Orlando
 * The Territory of Kai - Arios MacLaine

Trial Grounds
Found in Erebonia, the trial grounds are part of the expansive Divine Knight system in place in the country. The Trial grounds are stated to have little regard for the normal rules of time and space. They are constantly in flux, changing their locations based on the spiritual balance of events in the world. Upon passing a trial, a potential Awakener is granted the sue of one of the seven Divine knights. It is unknown if all of the trials for each knight are the same, or even if they all require a trial in the first place. Known access points include:
 * The Old Schoolhouse - Valimar (leads to the Realm of the Great Shadow)
 * Lohengrin Castle - Argreion
 * Ordis Waterways - Ordine (noted to be the personal grounds of the Cayenne Family)
 * Lake Elm Wetlands - El-Prado (after the Great Twilight. Only one seen to not be a door)

The Realm of the Great Shadow
The phase space accessed via the trial door found in the Old Schoolhouse, this area serves as the trial for Rean Schwarzer to gain access to Valimar, the Ashen Knight. It is unknown if all potential awakeners face this particular phase space a s trail or if it unique to Valimar. at the end, the party comes face to face with Loa Erebonius, the shadow of the Great One who acts as the final trial. It is noted that the bleak monochrome landscape known as the 'Boundless Cathedral' in which they fight Loa Erebonius contains a countless array of weapons and blades, each one marking the grave of a failed potential awakener.

The Reverie Corridor
Also accessed from the Old Schoolhouse in Trista, the Reverie Corridor first appears after the conclusion of the October War. It is an ever-changing layout of passageways and comprised of four sections, one for each of the lower elements and each containing a powerful Cryptid. It is the first location noted to have been constructed by the Gnomes and their mastery of large scale phase spaces and flexible materials. The party encounters Loa Luciferia at the end who proclaims that the appearance of the Reverie Corridor is a 'shadow trial' that should have have come to be, and offers no reward or recompense. It is later revealed that Reverie corridors appear for a specific reason, but apart from the increased disturbance in the continent's Septium veins, no definitive reason for the first Reverie Corridor's appearance has been disclosed.

The Infernal Castle
The Infernal Castle is an ancient cursed castle summoned through use of the Lucifen Lied incantation, forbidden amongst the Hexen Clan. It is not referred to as a phase space specifically but does demonstrate a tangible alteration of space. It envelopes the space around Valflame Palace, transforming the area. The castle's layout and contents change depending on both who summons it and what circumstances they summon it in, with the layout changing from its appearance 250 years ago in the War of the Lions. It is the domain of the Vermillion Apocalypse, which acts as its core, and has the ability to drain the mana and spirit of anyone caught within its range, as well as summon large quantities of spirits, fiends Cryptids and Magic Knights. It is comprised of several stratums:


 * The First Stratum - filled with spirits from the original War of the Lions.
 * The Second Stratum - supposedly where the evil that emerged from purgatory's great tree lurks.
 * The Third Stratum - said to be the place where light and dark are always at odds with one another.
 * The Vermillion Throne - the highest point and location of the Vermillion Apocalypse

Sanctuary of the Dark Dragon
Noted to be even more dangerous than the Infernal Castle, the Sanctuary of the Dark Dragon appears beneath Heimdallr during the disturbance of the septium veins. It is where Zoro-Agruga will resurrect if it is not confronted and slain. The sanctuary is accessed through a glowing red portal beneath the Imperial Museum, and is filled with fiends, Night-touched and Nosferatu. The dark dragon itself sleeps within the depths. Any invading force must split their numbers into three in order to traverse the obstacles of the Sanctuary.

Gral of Erebos
The Gral of Erebos is the corrupted form of the Primal Ground that was once found beneath Heimdallr cathedral. After one of the artifact bells of Crossbell is sounded, the space surrounding the Karel Imperial Villa shifts into the Gral. The corrupted Nameless Holy Beast is selaed here. The Gral is filled with spirits, fiends and demons, and has large quantities of mana, enough to accelerate the repair of damaged Divine knights. in, A subsection of the Gral is later accessed from St. Astraia Girls' School after another artifact, the Ring of Relief is found and used by one of the Seventy-Seven Devils, Yyd Vanas.

Eryn & Eerie Woods
The Hexen Clan village of Eryn is hidden deep within the Isthmia Great Forest and Eerie Woods, in a special space that cannot be found through usual means, although there do remains links with the outside world. Eryn flowers grow in large amounts and the Eerie woods are filled with spirits and the higher elements are active. The Woods contain the Saint-Gral Labyrinth and often paths change or appear suddenly. Obelisks are placed around the woods to allow access to different areas of Western Erebonia. The village itself has additional defense mechanisms such as the ability to erect a large spiritual barrier, and visitors must usually teleport in or penetrate the defensive mist surrounding the air space around the village. Some strangers have been known to by pass the spatial distortion, namely the mysterious Beryl and the enhanced jaegers of Ouroboros using a a device created by F. Novartis.

Spirit Sanctuaries
During the later stages of the Great Twilight, the various Spirit Shrines around Erebonia reveal their true forms in the form of Spirit Sanctuaries. The shrines in the west of Erebonia are noted to be amongst the most ancient and powerful. These sites act as suitable areas in which a Rivalry can take place, fusing the power of duelling Divine Knights. The Gnomes have a means by which they can alter the location of the portal to the sanctuaries, moving them away from the depths of their corresponding spirit shrine. The Draco Shrine is moved to Hamel and the Stella Shrine is moved to the Lake Elm Wetlands. It is unknown if all Spirit shrine shave a corresponding Spirit sanctuary, as only three are shown.

The Luna Sanctuary
The only sanctuary which the Hexen Clan have presided over since ancient times (although a second is later revealed in . It is accessed via the Luna Shrine. The Shrine is associated with water, due to the influence of the Moon upon the tides. The Shrine is noted to be a 'sacred realm' or hallowed ground where the truth of things is revealed, largely in part due to the artifact entrusted to the Hexen Clan, the Spectral Moon Mirror. The Mirror itself is capable of conjuring another 'liminal space' where Rean can commune with the speechless Valimar and Millium Orion

Draco Sanctuary
Once accessed from the Draco Shrine, it's portal was moved to Hamel during the Great twilight. It is associated with wind, with large storms brewing in its interior. Reptilian spirits and monsters inhabit the shrine.

Stella Sanctuary
Once accessed in a spatial distortion on the Ursula Byroad where the Stella Shrine was hidden, the Stella Sanctuary's portal was also relocated during the Great Twilight to the Lake Elm Wetlands, in the location where Arianrhod once fought the Special Support Section, surrounded by Pleroma Grass. It is associated with the element of fire, although traces of time mana are also present in itss barriers.

Fake Salt Pales
A space-time distortion created by the Great One's birth allowed the Gnomes to hide their fortress, the Tuatha De Danann away for over a thousand years whilst they renovated it into the Empyreal Fortress. During this process they obtained residue from the original Salt Pale and constructed five fake salt pales which when placed around Erebonia would create a defensive barrier for the Fortress. Each Pale could read the memories of Erebonia in order to summon defenders and guardians, making use of archaisms, fiends, devils and other spirits. A team accessed the phase space of each pale by flying towards it, with each being likened to the space created by the Azure Tree. With the main guardian down, the barrier projected around the Tuatha De Danann would temporarily falter.


 * Salt Pale A - guarded by Aion-γ 'Umbra', Scyllamarme and various fiends and demons.
 * Salt Pale B - guarded by Pale Dragon, Belis-Agruga, Rostrum and various draconic themed fiends and monsters.
 * Salt Pale C - guarded by Aion-β 'Fulgor', Bennu Nucleus and various copies of Black Workshop Archaisms and Combat Shells.
 * Salt Pale D - guarded by Necrovaris, Yyd Vanas and various alchemy and copies of various Golems.
 * Salt Pale E - guarded by Aion-α 'Potentia', Great Zan Su, and various angelic themed spirits.

Infinity Corridor
The Infinity Corridor, also known as the 'True Reverie Corridor' is a phase space created by AZOTH after it released humanity would need additional assistance to overcome the near-omnipotent calculative ability that Elysium possessed. Three parties were each given a piece of a mirror that transported them to the Infinity Corridor where they could become stronger. Time was suspended whilst in this location, and they would leave with no memory of having been there, yet retaining the experience- at least initially. As it was outside of usual space and time, Elysium would not be able to take its effect into account for its calculations, providing the heroes with a chance of overcoming it. Elysium did however become aware and tried to tamper with the space, eventually creating a copy of the original Demiourgos and Originator Zero 0, which as a Sept-Terrion, were more than a match for AZOTH, taking over the upper levels of the Corridor.

The corridor was filled with opponents based on the memories of those brought to it, and was capable of creating fiends, devils, archaisms and 'hollow' copies of individuals from the physical world. It could even copy phenomena such as corrupted Valimar, the Stigma of the Gralsritter, McBurn's true form, multiple Holy Beasts as as well as other unknown beings.

After the copy of Demiourgos is defeated, the Phase space is restored to AZOTH's control and the need for it is no longer present, with AZOTH then able to shut down for good.

Genesis Tower
Genesis tower is created through the use of the maroon Oct-Genesis in Edith, where it overwrites space in the area and takes control over time, stopping most of the population. It also starts Pandemonium, allowing demons and fiends to manifest. It is protected by stone obelisks which erect a spiritual barrier, however due to the tower's temporal abilities, it can restore them immediately by reversing time.

Others

 * The Orbal Network Project seems to have a phase space aspect, as Campanella was able to access this through use of the Astral Code. It is also where Jona Sacred, Tio Plato and Renne engage in when hacking.
 * Campanella creates a small phase space when fighting the SSS near one of Crossbell's bell artifacts. They presume he means to trap them inside it, but he merely uses it as an arena.
 * Dieter Crois is speculated to have been controlling the Aion Type-α from a spiritual phase space when he is confronted at the top of the Orchis Tower
 * The dimensions the Great One or Liber Ark were sealed in may count as a phase space but there is not enough information to state whether this is the case definitively.