Chapter ??: Fragments of the Mortal Soul

Amon gazed at the red light. It was fading and disappearing quickly. A door opened and immediately he made his way to the source of the prayer. It was a warm feeling, being needed. Someone called for him, and he would answer. 

~~~~

//Void of Space// 

Her whole body was wracked in unbearable pain. The power of destruction eroded her very being as the Lord Ravager sought to take her existence away. Perhaps it was a stroke of luck, or maybe due to other factors. The only thing that mattered was that she was still alive, if only for a while longer. 

Her foxian ears twitched as her face grunted in pain. Her very existence was coming undone. The marks of ruin left by Phantylia had left her tethering on the border of death and she would soon vanish. 

She closed he eyes and prayed to the Reignbow Arbiter. Her prayers to the Hunt went unanswered.

No one came. Her heart wrenched in panic, she wasn't ready to go. A foxian always gets even, and she would get even with Phantylia. But she couldn't even move. 

She prayed to the Preservation. But no once answered. 

Despair seized her being as the marks of ruin only further accelerated her descent to oblivion. She grit her teeth at the thought of an imposter ruining the image of Tingyun that her closest ones had. 

She prayed to every aeon she knew, but the truth was... She had long accepted that they were all pawns for the aeons on a giant cosmic chessboard. 

She laughed in despair as the most idiotic thought crossed her mind. Recently there had been an investigation into the monocle horror creepypasta that spread through the galaxy. The rumor was not without merits. It was linked to a great old one. An eldritch god. The Xianzhou had warned them not to speak "His" honorific name. 

Tingyun with her last bit of strength took a risk, an intuitive merchant's gamble. A gamble that would draw the attention of the Lord of the Mysteries.

"Lord of Mysteries, King of Space-Time, Beacon of Destiny, Embodiment of Sefirah Castle, Dominator of the Spirit World. I ask for your help, I have nothing of worth to repay you or offer you but myself."

A flash rainbow light emitted from a door as she felt light headed. Tingyun could barely make out the outline of the man. 

A wide pointed hat, a right crystal monocle. Tingyun knew that she had succeeded and her survival gambled on how magnanimous this eldritch god was. 

The grey fog surged and churned as she found herself within a seemingly abandoned castle.

The great stone pillars were fragmented but floating in shape all the same. Grey fog churned and spread throughout the entire plane of existence here. A long bronze molted table remained empty except for the seat at the head of the table signifying the owner or rather the god she had called upon. 

The man stood up as the fog moved along with him. "You know I was quite sad when I was last choice among a lump of rock, a moving talking mirror figure, a centaur with a hate boner towards trees, a lump of clowns and a jigsaw puzzle with a few missing pieces." 

His voice was smooth and alluring. Only for Tingyun to realise that he was right, "Apologies..." 

The grey fog rolled back as Amon revealed himself "You can call me Amon or as you so called my honorific name, Lord of Mysteries or Mysteries for short. Personally Amon is fine." 

Tingyun stared in disbelief and shock. A god looked so human... Amon sighed "You do realise some gods were once mortals as well yes? Some gods are born, some ascend to godhood. Me? I'm just trying my best to retain humanity, it gets hard when no one calls upon you." 

Tingyun didn't know how to respond, she had never thought a god would have been so down to earth. Her shock continued when she realised she didn't feel the pain. 

"The grey fog neutralises all authorities within the Sefirah Castle so long as I wish for it. You are still tethering on the brink of death." Amon pointed towards the stone slab on which Tingyun's body was present. 

Her spirit froze as she gazed upon her own body. Amon walked up to the body as the grey fog surrounded it once again. "I will save you. Although there will be a few changes needed in order to make things easier. As for payment, we can always talk that out later. But I always like a fair and equivalent exchange." 

Amon thought of the most simple and easiest method in order to save Tingyun. To be frank, messing with the Destruction brought joy to him. He didn't need much of a payment as someone calling for his help was warming already.

Nanook was what we call a dickhead. Amon waved his hand as he reverted the shape of the body to before the incident. But the power of destruction was embedded with her existence. 

Simple easy method, just use a loophole. Tingyun is simply a name, and since the destruction is attached to the body then just alter the body and wallah. 

The tail color had changed and could be split into nine tails along, the body was modeled using the same signal as the marks of ruin therefore using the Error authority it could be argued in a loophole that they are now two different people. 

Tingyun watched as he explained the process as soon her body was transformed and the marks of ruin no longer deteriorated the body nor did they cause pain. They acted as an additional power boost now. 

Amon looked at his handiwork as he nodded in content before reaching out and yanking Tingun's spirit and soul with a tentacle as he slapped her straight back into the body. 

Her eyes slowly opened as she realised it wasn't a dream. Amon grinned "So how do you feel? You'll likely need to get used to the sensation of your current body due to some changes. Of course if you aren't happy with the color pink I could always change it to another color but your old one." 

Tingyun shook her head before bowing "Thank you benefactor. I've been thinking ever since you asked for an equivalent exchange. You saved my life which would have been forfeit. So it is only right that my life will be in your hands now." 

Truly Amon had only mentioned equivalent exchange as a passing remark but who was he to turn down payment? Amon raised an eyebrow as Tingyun continued on. "It would be a great honor to serve a deity like you. However, I wish to resolve some issues first."

Amon smiled as he felt something warm, faith. He had someone who relied on him and called upon him. He would no longer be alone. "I like your style and personality. I will bless you." He snapped his fingers as Tingyun watched the fog shifting before a thin layer settled on her and disappearing. 

"I will send you back into space, there will be a rescue team and someone will retrieve you. Your path remains the same. When you are ready to leave your old life behind, simply inform me." 

Amon watched as Tingyun bowed once again "Thank you benefactor. I will finish as soon as I can."

~~~~

Amon watched and cradled the red star in the lone sea of grey fog. He carried it with gentle care. For him, he rarely had someone that would be with him. It was at this moment he stared at the sole red star in an empty sea of grey fog.

The star that was his.

He would protect this star.

For his one and only blessed.