An Archer's Promise

Chapter 16: Father and son

Beta read by Shigiya and DOOMRAIDER

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-Ken-

This was awkward, to say the least, in Archer's opinion.

Just a few days ago, he was up at arms against Maia, holding her back with his traced swords—and now here he was, chained up from head to toe as if he were a savage beast. Archer wasn't one to believe in fate and pre-written destiny, but working as a Counter Guardian in multiple realities, he certainly felt that there were times when things were just out of his control.

Even if he strongly believed in the concept of choices, some of these paths would always lead him to the same conclusion. So did that count as him having the ability to choose in the first place, or was it just nothing more than the illusion of choice?

Things don't go as planned in most cases. And him meeting Maia so soon after the incident at the inn was not something he wanted to happen, at least not under these circumstances. If at all possible, Archer would have been fine never meeting her again. A girl so hellbent in love with his target would only invite trouble for him if she learned about his mission to kill Vault. He didn't doubt that the girl would send Ken's entire armada for his head. Even with his ability to trace legendary Noble Phantasms, he still didn't think he could survive the entire combined army of the seven kingdoms. He'd died to less in the past, and he had limits.

The best way to confront this woman—in his opinion—was to stay confident and unbending. The slightest crack in his armor would only be used against him.

It could be said for most women in his experience.

…And then, there was the visitor that spoke with him.

True, Archer needed to know who that man was and his connection to this world and Alaya, but that could wait for another time. If this entity, or whatever it was, could hide and disappear from his senses so easily, then searching for it could be pointless. Maybe the being continued to stalk him in astral form for all Archer knew.

"Hey there, sugar, come to see little ol’ me?" Maia spoke first with a flirty attitude. Through her eyes, they told another story completely. They were sharp, intense, glaring at Archer as if she was about to jump at him with her blades at any moment.

"Fortunately, no." That made her frown. "As I've constantly mentioned to your Knights, I was merely practicing self-defense on the hooligans in town."

"And that consisted of cutting fifteen people into two? Some of which were men under Hicks authority?"

"It was that or die in the middle of the streets." He answered, nonchalant with his actions.

"The city guards and Knights would have come for your rescue."

Archer chuckled at that, making Maia and some of her subordinates send angered glares at the bowman. His laugh basically told them that he was mocking them, and he indeed was. Archer knew that calling for help in such a corrupted kingdom would only create more problems than solve. Nito would have accused him of a murderer, a thief, or even a spy and they would have most likely believed the man in his words because of his association with the Kuroinu.

"What's so funny?" Maia gave him a growl from where she stood.

"Nothing, just laughing over the terrible joke you've just made."

"You got a knack for being an ass." Her mood was no longer flirtatious or cheerful like before. "I could execute you right where you stand and be done with you." She brought her blade and pointed right at Archer's neck, the latter feeling tired of being in the same position once again.