A PLEASANT CHANGE

!!!Archer POV!!!!

Archer looked at the screen again taking in the images he was seeing.

Ruined planets glassed to death because of heat from the presumably numerous ships floating in space .

Corpses of unknown beings floating in space.

There was only death.

He remembers the fire and death he was surrounded during his childhood.

The moment everything started.

The path he walked on to save everyone to be a hero of justice.

Archer closes his eyes reminiscing his old times during his time as a freelancer magus and mercenary.

The younger days he spent for the sake of others.

Archer closes his eyes looking at the screens of kaleidoscopic worldlines.

A mother holding a child floating in space in her last moments.

He shouldn't care.

He has been in many warzones with situations like this where a family got bombed to hell as collateral damage.

It was truly the reality of human cruelty.

But this is madness.

Whole world burned to crisp with people as livestock.

Even if he abandoned his ideals, he is still a fool who will save people.

He is after all a Heroic spirit.

Now the question was.

Would Ado Edem share the same views as him?

Archer looked at Edem who had his hand on his chin with closed eyes seemingly sorting the information of the parallel worlds.

Several timelines in a matter of seconds due to fourth magic gaining information at a tremendous rate.

He wonders which universe he is in and the state of the current world they have landed in.

He can only patiently wait and see.

One thing he noticed from the screens.

On a certain brown-haired boy hunted down by mechanical beings with a red gauntlet, then later a red chainmail armor.

Brutally killed every single time with the women they were with him.

The screens that were shifting was always on him.

Was he their target of neutralization? Or to save.

All Archer knows the whoever that guy is, he is a heap of trouble.

The screens floating disappeared leaving only a kaleidoscopic hue.

It seems the emperor has awakened from his deep dive in timelines.

!!!!!End of Archers POV!!!!!

Edem slowly opens his eyes with a frown on his face.

He had a headache and huge anger to release somewhere open.

Looking at all those planets reduced to dust reminds him of bad memories and his own failures.

But the most concerning and infuriating fact is some people are prancing around and playing God.

Making a mess of things.

Gods he would happily decapitate when he has been given the chance.

Putting all of luck, Karma and Fate in one incompetent person to save the universe with women's breasts.

Edem does not know if he should kill whoever the person set him as his champion or torture that idiot to the end of time?

Also, what are breasts organ so enticing for men? A lump pf meat for all he cares.

Such concerns are negligible.

Whoever wrote the timeline and fate of the universe had a screw loose for sure.

It blew up spectacularly against them.

There was a look of surprise and recognition in his face.

There was someone like him, a golden armored person who got out of the box with no strings.

Edem was really interested for the reason he was doing it, but such though can wait.

He can surely come face to face with a formidable person.

An inevitable battle on horizon.

The fight will surely give some light to the answers he is searching for.

He must make sure not be manipulated while doing it.

He wanted to look more but it seems his targets would notice.

One target he has in sights.

Is the failure of the champions children and a particular god that made a glorious mess of things.

THE INFINTE DRAGON AND CHICHIGAMI.

High priority target for elimination if any of them survived.

Edem slowly looks at Archer who has an intense gaze on him with obvious look that as asking for answers.

Edem coughed and cleared his throat.

He will drop some concerning news on his supposed partner.

Archer broke the silence as Edem was now giving his attention.

Archer: So? What's the situation?

Edem: Want me to put the news mildly or in a serious mood.

Archer: ...…

Archer: I would like the hard and cold truth.

Edem: I have two good news and two bad news.

Archer: ...….

Archer: Lay it to me in simple terms as much as possible.

Edem: Hmm.

Edem: Bad news first?

Archer: Yes. Let me have the headache first.

Edem: Okay first order of things.

First: We have and entire Armada with huge buff guys messing everything up.

Second haa! The second.

Archer: What's wrong with second.

Edem: Some though it was good idea to time travel and mess with fate. When you mess with time it tends to mess back with you. But for fate it leads to your own doom. Damned infinite dragon though it was okay to make multiple timelines. Now it gave the bright idea for our enemy to invade the same universe multiple times and obtain their resources resulted from the breach in timeline, I assume as you know about parallel world you know what I am talking about. They are not only going from world to world of a different universe but invading multiple ones with alternate timeline.

Archer slowly backs away and walks to a corner, he crouches down and hods the folded space with his hands.

Then with a deep breath.

Archer: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Edem held his eras so that his enhanced sensory organs do not let him go deaf.

For some reason looking at Archers suffering amused him.

Wonder why.

!!!!!!!!!10 minutes of Archer cursing and screaming!!!!!!!!!!

Archer was looking at the kaleidoscopic hue of the suspended space with a blank look.

He has same question going through his head.

WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY!!!!!!!!!

Why does freedom have this much cost!

It's his shitty E rank luck to blame.

He wonders it may have gotten worse with years to come.

It may be minus EX now.

The mission is suicide.

NO!

It was a death sentence of the highest level.

Was it because Edem went against God?

A blasphemy for which a severe punishment was given.

All Archer can do is preserve his sanity.

The E X E PEOPLE ARE BONKERS!

Who does this crazy stuff.

How are they going to fight beings who triumphed over divine spirits.

He doesn't have any reason to live.

While Archer was thinking to release himself form misery and make up with Alaya.

Edem walked down from the throne and observed Archer.

The hollow look in Archers eyes.

Edem also remembers the hopeless despair fighting for a world that is already dead.

But he survived.

He always did.

He always will.

If he has such a team mate with weak will, he must end their partnership or life the very second. Or send them away. Do it his away. Team mates could be made it tubes anyways. But the problem is that he won't be able to find his answers if does not find people whose fate was twisted like his. He needs answer from them. The concept of freedom.

Edem crouched down and poked Archer's face to see if he is alive.

Archer snapped backed and observed Edem.

Coming out of stupor he remembered there was good news too.

Maybe he should hear what Edem has to say.

Then he could end his life.

Or could he?

But the main question, should he leave Edem alone to his own devices.

The answer was No!

Archer wonders if he could kill an immortal.

With his armory he was not sure.

The concept of death is different for Edem.

Would it even work?

Edem could just change to a being that ignores his noble phantasms.

Also Edem could be reading his mind this very second.

Edem: ...….

Edem: Quiet the imagination you have. But I am not ready to embrace death. Not yet or maybe never.

I must find the answer. So, I must live. If you want death COME AT ME!

With eyes glowing rainbow hue with prisms.

Edem awakened his Mystic Eyes of death to the highest category.

Only beings with connection to root or strong connection to the concept death can have such power.

For Edem who witnessed the death of the planet.

He has earned it.

The one who sees death and grants it.

Archer shuddered at the revelation of those eyes.

Not only a weapon to devour the planet but the Mystic Eyes of Death in the rainbow category.

He truly is fucked.

Archer gives a sigh and looks at Edem with the least bit of sanity he has.

Archer: So? The Good news.

Edem: ...…..

Edem gave a nod of acknowledgement of Archers strong will.

Edem: First and foremost, we are a realm below the universe we are in. Before you go to a tangent of realm. Let me explain it to you simply. The concepts of magic and universal laws is two steps below from the universe we came from. They might have creativity with magic but not the potency of the concept. Quality and quantity. Soft magic and Hard Magic. You can figure it out right?

Archer: Hmm!!

Archer: Not really.

Edem: Haa! Okay let me put it simply. A bigger fish in a smaller ocean with little fish. From a bigger box to a smaller box. Box theory you can imagine.

Archer: ....

Archer: Makes sense. So, the second news.

Edem: Well the second one is a iffy.

Archer: Don't do this to me. Don't give me hope and crush it.

Edem: Don't worry it is the good news. It is just what you wouldn't expect.

Archer: ...….

Archer: Okay shoot I don't care anymore.

Edem: It seems our enemy is clearly obsessed with something or someone.

Archer: Hmmm?

Edem: Our Enemy has a pattern hunting certain targets. Specifically, the champion of this universe and beings that escaped them.

Archer: You say them and this universe? But you clearly haven't told me about our target and their organization. Also, which universe we are in.

Edem: I'll get to that in a minute.

Edem: Like I was saying our enemy is searching timelines that were branched off by time travelling masterminds. Since there are multiple of the same universe their resources are stretched thin. Whatever they are searching for must be worth anything we ever known. While doing such adventures our enemy the E X E are getting losses. The other timelines sure putting up a fight. Not to mention the dragon of sin 666.

Archer: .....

Archer: So you are telling me that we are in the copy of a universe of the main timeline. The Enemy's name is EXE. Someone altered causality to buy time which is creating multiple branch of timelines making the people in them suffer for their own goals am I right.

Edem: Now you are speaking my language.

Archer: Whoever has such power to toy with a universe, I guess that is the Enemy's and out target.

Edem: Search and destroy of the highest mission priority.

Archer: How do we suppose we make time for hunting down people with such interference.

Would out mission not be accomplished if we take out the main players?

Edem: That's the thing you don't.

Archer: Huh?

Edem: We need to set up bait.

Archer: How so?

Edem: POWER ATTRACTS POWER. WE STRIKE THEM FIRST LEAVING A TRAIL.

Archer: You're a mad lad I tell you.

Edem: Exactly. I need madness to overcome this trial. When we attract their attention with such power, who do you think will ask for help?

Archer: ...….

Archer: People can't be that stupid.

Edem: You underestimate how desperate people can be Archer.

Edem gives a bone chilling hollow look to Archer.

Archer realized at that moment.

Edem was a psychopath.

With zero concerns for the means, he would use to achieve his goals.

No wonder he was sent to restrain him.

Archer heaves a huge breath.

Archer: So you'll attack first? At the heart of Enemy camp for attention?

Edem: Yes!

Archer: ...…

Archer: I surely hope you know your actions would cause deaths of numerous.

Archer gave a probe with such question.

Edem: ...

Edem: Why do you care?

Archer: ...

Archer: Huh?

Edem: I said why do you care? You know the math Archer better than me. You have done the same thing over and over again as a counter-guardian. Saving many by scarfing a few. Why do you care about humans. They are full of deceit of lies. With so much hubris and ignorance they bring forth their own doom. Even though the reality is stark contrast Infront of their eyes, with a little pressure they always choose the path to ruin. They will die soon enough in a billion years as the heath death occurs. Why does it matter to you, also mostly why does it matter at all to fight and protect people?

Archer: ...…

Archer closed his eyes and remembered his life.

How he wanted to help people and how the very people used him as a scrape goat.

He though he could make a change.

But all he had was regret, bitterness and rage.

Why does he help people?

Archer remembers the life he has taken.

The swords he planted in his reality marble to remember the people he couldn't save.

All death and mess caused by the very people he swore to save.

The he realized.

A knot unwinded in his head.

It was not self-satisfaction.

It was not fame.

It was not Ideals.

But hope for an distant Ethopia to be realized.

The Path of Avalon he seeks.

The path of everdistant ethopia he could never grasp.

The land with no sin where the person he cares for is there.

Why did he fight.

It was of the dream to be realized.

Nothing lasts forever.

Only one can pass on the dreams that carry the hopes of humanity.

Archer opened his eyes and looked at Edem dead in the eye.

Archer: It was a fleeting dream. A dream that lasted while it was sweet. I was not the one deciding the dream I held, but the hope the dream carried with it shaped be who I am. I am no god to decide who lives and dies. It is just I want people to smile and carry the same hope I have in my heart. The hope for a better future. The reason we fight for. The salvation we seek. To be happy.

It felt like a bomb went in Edems head.

A dream.

Because of such simple thing.

A dream full of desires.

Does such desires not posses the darkness the desires carry.

The malice and greed.

The part of humanities worst that was ignored.

Just as humanity can cause great good and miracle throughout the world, the can cause harm with the very desire they have.

Mainly because the imperfection that was bestowed with perfection.

True balance.

A balance that his world has not achieved, because of ignorance of duality of human nature.

Edems mind became clear.

He must find such balance by living though and observing such duality.

There is a solid goal that was set.

Now Archer and Him are getting somewhere.

The path to freedom.

Archer though this answer in his time of millennia he did battle.

An answer he was sure to tame Edem of his rashness and blatant disregard of life.

Some things are meant to be.

Good times are not to last forever.

Archer looks at Edem and starts asking the main question.

Archer: So will you like to look at the world filled with dreams and misery.

Edem: Hmmm.

Edem: Sounds good to me. Quiet a topic you have given me to think about.

Edem: Before we leave this suspended space let me give a run down about the world, also the most important information.

Archer: Which is?

Edem: God is dead in this world.

Archer: .....

Archer: Excuse me?

Edem: The copy of the god we met that is.

Archer: Oh boy. It's gonna be another long conversation about mythology and parallel universes?

Edem: Not much. It is just the new world we will travel will certainly be interesting.

Archer: ...….

Archer: I sure hope you are right.

Archer stood of with a fresh head after such heavy talk.

It seems a burden was released from his mind.

Edem: I have a month before the camouflage on my existence made by God runs out. He is not helping I tell you. When it runs out. It will be declaration of war. I better start training to hide my presence. What better wat to leave to a different universe where my existence would be hidden,

Edem opened a portal to see the new world he wants to explore.

A pleasant change was in Edems mood

A look of curiosity.

Edem: Shall we.

Archer: Yes let us visit a nearest town for supplies.

Edem: Hmm a human town.

Archer: Your acting like you are not human?

Edem: No I am not. I am a Ether liner a modified being.

Archer: You misunderstand what it means to be human.

Edem: Is that so.

With one last statement Archer and Edem went to a place to relax.

A pleasant rest before a journey.