"As to ensure it is not the last of your days, would you like to make a deal with Death?"
The question echoed in Lee's mind, drowning out even the cries of his instincts and psyche as they raged at Lee to run, to flee, to do anything but stay where he was. However, his higher thought was still in play. He'd have a better chance of escaping a Carrington Event in a Tesla. He counted no less than 24 eyes on each of its wings when he saw them, and every single one capable was fixated on him... He could feel it, despite the visage itself being behind him, he could feel every last hair on the back of his neck stand on end with each twitch of the eyes.
So, he went with his higher thought.
"I'd consider making a deal, but I know not who you are, even though you speak as if you know something about me."
The visage let go of the pocket watch which remained suspended in place upon being released, and phased in front of Lee once again. No less than 288 eyes across all of his wings, and all of them were gleaming with curiosity at the creature they were observing. Its voice... smirked?
"Goodness me, that's twice in a row that I've spoken out of turn, and as you've so astutely pointed out I haven't even introduced myself."
The visage's wings curled about its form, warping the light around them as they did so. The visage struck the pole of the Scythe against the ground as a single bolt of lightning slowly began to fall to Earth.
"My mantle is being Eldest of the Triad of Sapience, my True Name is Aitu Xiore, and I reign over three domains as the Lord of the Mind, of Time, and of Death," It lifted a bony finger to Lee's face. "And you are Lee Kühren, a child of Farroneia. Your bloodline is one that is not originally of this world. You and all your kin are an anomaly in this world."
"Uh... wha-?"
"Tsukimichi Moonlit Fantasy, you fucking weeaboo trash, and the deal is with me, not some random bitch Goddess who won't even bother fulfilling her own oaths."
"Oh, well that's comfor-"
"Lying in the presence of divinity is not considered a wise man's move, is it?" Aitu lowered his finger. "You did already call me out for questioning your ethos, so don't be acting unethical before me after the fact." Almost as if by response, every last visible eye on each of His wings furrowed towards their base in seeming disappointment.
"Right... So what exactly would the details of this 'deal' be?"
"I can't disclose the full terms until we are not in this world anymore, though I can give you a brief synopsis."
"That doesn't do much to foster f-."
"I should clarify that information currently withheld is not kept from you in the hopes of keeping you in the dark, but to protect you from what would happen if certain things came to light before their time. Me simply being here is almost akin to directly provoking the natural order of things. I've only placed humanity's collective cognition of time in synaptic cryostasis for all but twenty-five femto-seconds, and there's already visible strain on the psychospace," Aitu Xiore allowed himself to express urgency.
"For a time, in this world, I can grant you power enough to fulfill your last whim. After that, the decree cannot be delayed. Causality has demanded that this world sees your departure."
Lee took a literal instant to process these words.
"You're a God but you bow to Causality?"
"There are some things that even primordial arch-deities like my siblings and I cannot superimpose their will over. I would have your answer, Lee. I cannot speak of the next world in this one further than I already have. Regardless, if you don't make a choice now, you will not see this good deed of yours through without dying beforehand."
The screaming within Lee's head ceased as he posed one last question:
"Do the terms only extend to my time in this world?"
Aitu Xiore paused, dumbfounded.
"I think such terms would only serve to qualify as a scam, not a deal."
Lee felt an echo of a grin stretch gently onto his face; he'd asked the right question after all.
"I accept your terms, but just as you demanded my answer before, I will hold you to an explanation when the time comes."
The Lord of the Three Domains nodded, acknowledging his terms. As his new benefactor pointed towards where the pocket watch was left suspended, Lee noticed for the first time that his own pocket watch was missing from his belt loop.When he looked up, he was blinded by a bright flash of light before time resumed its flow. Before the sound of the rain resumed, a clock chime was audible from everywhere and nowhere once again, just as when Time first halted. He opened his eyes as a barrage of rainfall pelted his hair once again to see that Aitu Xiore was gone."
A metallic clink against concrete could be heard, and his attention turned to his feet. The pocket watch was on the ground, but while the engravings were the same as before, the composite material and inlays were overhauled. He distinctly remembered it being wrought of five carat silver with onyx inlays on a steel chain. The chain was now composed of two metals, switching between each link from Gold, to Platinum and back. The Onyx inlays were now multitude, much more regal and defined, and set with 13 one-carat black diamonds around a centerpiece of seven-carat topaz. But the biggest change was in the main piece of the watch... which was now composed entirely of rhodium.
Lee picked it up off the ground and opened it up, just to be certain. Not only was the portrait within exactly the same, but impossibly... he knew who the portrait was of. A name echoed in the back of his head.
'Shea Farroneia.'
"You now hold the Esoteric Artifact 'Time's Keeper.' Guard it with your sanity and soul, or face Oblivion. That is your link to me, The Lord of Mind, of Time and Death; as well as your ultimate lifeline," Aitu Xiore's voice spoke directly into his mind once again. "I shouldn't need to tell you how to use it. I'll see you on the other side, my successor..."
The voice faded, and was replaced with the roar of thunder and downpour once more. Lee took off down East 4th Street towards Taft Theater where he had heard the scream. Not many people get to choose how they die, but his one regret wasn't that he was going to die.
"Sorry, Yume; I won't be able to be the Uncle your kid will need."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Aitu Xiore re-materialized, surrounded by a formless void outside of conventional space-time.
"I think, that's the first time I've lied in all my existence. It's not that we can't superimpose ourselves over causality, but that the cost to do so is higher than I'm willing to allow be risked." The Lord of Three Domains relinquished his scythe to the nothingness below, then rose his right hand.
"I still agonize over the last time I did so, in order to become into existence in the first place. So to earn my vindication, I shall make sure your path is clear, and your creed sacrosanct through all of it. I will at least keep you alive, and your conscience clear."
Cracks of color formed around the Primordial Arch-Deity's imprisoning void as a tangible concept protruded from where his palm would be. Beneath the ashen crown upon his brow, in the empty eye sockets, a brilliant jade light flickered to life; the sound of an incantation more ancient than even the essence of life itself accompanying the rhythm of his gaze's growing blaze. As the concept took form, the cracks in the void swelled and fractured themselves. Aitu Xiore bellowed:
"By my command, accept this form, and fulfill your purpose. In my name, protect the existence I have deemed my successor, and lead him to the beginning of his path."
His void was enveloped by a flash of light akin to a supernova from both within and without, and a harrowing voice from the past and future in sync whispered to break the ensuing silence in response:
"By your will, as your Right Hand made in his image, I accept my charge, Firstborn of the Grand Arbiter's Design."