Chapter Text
A beautiful glow emanated from the wounded creature lying before the lost boy from Morepesok. The bright-haired ginger had fought monsters that doubled him in size, and probably in strength, for what felt like three months. At least, he assumed time worked the same in the Abyss. Until now, it was his own unshakable resilience that had carried him to victory in every battle, his refusal to surrender, the relentless impetus of his spirit, and the sometimes overwhelming surge of power that pushed him forward.
This time, however, it was none of those things that drove him to slay the Consecrated Flying Serpent by himself. A pull on his heartstrings had guided him, a feeling that grew stronger the closer he got to the mystical beast and its intended prey. He didn't understand the source of his determination, or why the compulsion was so strong, he’d been in no mortal danger had he simply ignored it. But the moment he saw the fallen creature pinned beneath the serpent, he began to act without thinking. Master Skirk would call him reckless, but at least he had won, and he’d even managed to extract the precious marked shells from the beast. Perhaps he could convince her to go hunting for real meat as a treat.
Exhausted, his body aching, he was so out of breath he was sure he’d pass out. He ran through Master Skirk’s breathing exercises once, twice, three times. Only after confirming no other imminent threat lingered did he allow himself to approach the creature he had saved. And, like any overly curious kid, he reached out to inspect it.
Upon closer distance, the boy could make out the shape of a large fox, so big he’d almost mistaken it for a wolf. He had no particular desire to befriend the creature, not knowing its intentions, but its fragile, wounded state stirred a thread of compassion within him for the Abyssal… thing.
He stretched a hand out slowly, watching carefully for any sudden movement, his own instincts poised for retreat. He thought he saw the fox slowly open one eye, its breathing heavy and ragged. The boy’s fingers touched its head.
A loud shriek immediately pierced his ears, and he curled into a ball on the floor as agony seized him.
Little ember. Flickering in the long-dark. You have… interrupted an ending.
His bones felt like they were splintering and reforming, elongating in all the wrong places. A searing pain shot up his spine, the feeling of something pushing its way out. The genesis of a tail.
You have offered a shield where there was none. But my song is at its end.
His senses were violently amplified. The silent Abyss became a cacophony of whispers, distant screams, and the roar of his own blood. The dim light became a blinding, painful glare. The words resonated inside his very skull, echoing against the bone.
Let us become a chord to defy the quiet... You extended an open hand. I accept. Let this bond be our pact, the silence will never claim either of us again.
He felt his own sense of self being drowned. For a few terrifying moments, he didn't know where "Ajax" ended and the "beast" began.
Do not fear the wild within you now. It is the memory of my strength, given so that your spark will never be extinguished... Go forth, my anchor, my sanctuary... We are one.