590 Fourth the Amusing Eye, The Origin of the Apocalypse (1/2)

Mark watched the strange-eyed girl in front of him as she munched on the bar of chocolate that she held in her hands.

Luckily, it looked like Fourth managed to calm down because of the chocolate. Well, even an ancient dragon was not able to resist such temptation and sweetness.

”Seriously... You're an amusing person.” Fourth turned to Mark as she took another bite. ”You might be the only person who would think of offering chocolates to existences like us!”

Fourth was correct in that sense. Like Mark had said before, the Eyes were akin to apostles of a God. The Observer might not be the God that created Earth and its universe. However, that position was only a step lower than God itself. And following that, the Eyes that were under the command of the Observer.

People who would know of this fact would likely offer the most formal and luxurious kinds of food to them. It would even become treated as some kind of religious offering.

Mark, however, unceremoniously gave her chocolates. The chocolates were even packed inside the wrappers.

And that was the most amusing part here for her. That was why she did not hate this fact.

”If its Third, she might have flipped the table already and start yelling.”

Fourth mumbled.

”What are you talking about?”

Mark asked with a frown. Fourth had been on deep thought on her own and was mumbling things that were hard to understand.

Of course, Mark could not make out most of what she said because she was continuously munching on her chocolate.

Fourth realized that she was mumbling things and turned to Mark.

”Nothing, it's not your problem.” She took another bite. ”Yeah, it's not your problem.”

Mark started to have a headache at this point. The Eyes were really hard existences to deal with. Furthermore, even though she also had emotional fluctuations, it was obscured for the most part. He could not tell what she was thinking at all.

”Then, do you have any other business here?”

Hearing that question made Fourth sulk once more.

”NO! I DON'T!” She exclaimed, getting another frustrated bite on her chocolate. ”Our job is to deliver the news of the second wave to every Earthborn existence that passed the criteria! You're the first one I saw here in my area, but Ninth already robbed me of my work!”

Mark finally understood why Fourth was sulking this much.

The Eyes were born to follow the commands of the Observer. Now, their duty was to deliver the news of Earth's impending future to existences that passed the criteria that were given to them.

Mark did not know what the criteria were, but it looked like that he and Mei were the only ones currently present in South East Asia.

Mark could not help but ask, and this question took Fourth's attention. She stared at him like she was thinking about the circumstances.

”Well, I guess we're not really told to not say it, huh.” Fourth murmured. ”Then, let me tell you.”

And there, Fourth stated the three most important criteria.

First were existences that were born on Earth. Humans, animals, insects, even ghosts, elementals, spirits, and demons were included. As long as they passed the second and third criteria, they would be eligible.

Second, they needed to have cut off or, if not, at least, an obscure string of fate. Meaning, existences that could and possibly defy fate and destiny. People that were like Mark that already went past their death dates and managed to continue living on Earth. Even deities of the past were also included in this scope. There might be very few Gods that were born on Earth, but there was no lack of Deities.

Lastly, they must have at least one follower. Of course, the more, the better. It should be someone that believed in them in their entirety. If better, people that worshiped them.

Mark did not pay much attention to the first criteria. He already heard it from Ninth. However, something entered his mind after hearing the second criterion. It was also mentioned in passing by Ninth when Mark asked why he was told about it.

But why were people that could defy fate needed?

”Tell me. Is Earth fated to collapse in the second wave?”

Mark asked in all seriousness.

And that question made Fourth freeze on her next bite of chocolate.

”How amusing... Did you deduce that information just from the criteria? It seems that you're a person who think too much about things.”

”But I'm right, aren't I?”

Mark questioned once more.

”Yup. You're right. Though not entirely.” Fourth took the bite she froze in. ”Earth is fated to collapse, but not in the second wave.”

”It's just the start.” Fourth added. ”But if no preventive measures are made, Earth would really go into ruin when the second wave came.”

The childish Fourth already turned serious.

”The fates of Earth, its dimensions, all the creatures and even the things inside it. All of them are stored in a single compendium following a single root while branching off from it. It is one of the countless collections of fates of many things that existed in this universe. Further than that, each collection is compiled with countless libraries of different universes in existence.”

”Are you talking about the Akashic Records?”

Mark could not help but ask about it.

”Oh, you know about it? That's one of the countless names it had.” Fourth replied, looking amused. ”Then, explaining will become easier.”

One or two fates that were changed. Or even if a few million were affected by the Observer while maintaining the balance of the world. It would still be alright.

Since the past, the present, and the future was already written, the creatures affected by their destiny could only make minute changes to it. The Observers and their Apostles, the Eyes, were the only ones exempted in making changes on a large scale since it was their duty to maintain the balance or preventing a large scale annihilation.

Still, at times, even the records would branch, allowing the individual to choose which road to thread on.

”It's called the Turning Point,” Fourth said. ”Sometimes, it comes with a stroke of luck or based on the individual's actions.”

One example was a person finding a bag filled with cash. It was a turning point between the person that found the bag and the actual owner of the bag, and the turning point rested on the hands of the person that found it. If the person returned the bag, the fate of the owner would continue as usual. However, if not, it might turn into the worst situation. It would be depending on the circumstances that the owner of the bag was in.

On the other hand, the person that found the bag would have his life changed if he decided to run away and keep the bag for himself.

Turning Points like those were quite common in the gazillions of fates stored in the records.