Chapter Text
The punch was hard. It rattled his thoughts into silence as white noise rang in his ears. Tonia was cowering behind him with hands gripping his shirt in a strangling hold. The pain bloomed on his face, and his vision blurred. Even when standing a foot taller than his assailant, his posture was hunched and submissive. Blood was pooling in his mouth quickly. The taste was so sweet and coppery that he was close to hurling his lunch.
"Don't get in my way next time." The kid spat at Ajax's feet and punctuated each word with a harsh poke at his chest. Ajax's hands were fisted with nails digging into his palms, ready to break the skin. Mentally, all he could think was that he should have retaliated somehow. He scratched with his nails until skin caught under his nailbed. Heroes don't let anyone walk over them, especially not bullies.
"Isn't he older than you, Ivan?" Ajax heard onlookers poke fun at his situation. Mother's words are still sharp in his mind to not harm others. Excuses, if anything. Not having the courage or strength to raise his own hands in self-defence filled him with shame.
"Whatever, it's not like he'll tell his mom." Ivan's high-pitched laughter hurt his ears as he trailed away with his gang. The whiteness of the snow surrounding them hurt his eyes more than usual. The punch must have affected him more than expected.
"Brother, are you okay?" Tonia is so young, with a baby face, deep-brown hair braided to the side, and light blue eyes glossy with fear. His cheek was bruising with violent red, but his lips still widened into a smile. The pain was pulsing as his skin stretched for the action.
"Why are you alone, Tonia? Does Mother know you are out?" Tonia looked guilty. Her soft appearance melted into shame. There was no basket in her hands. She was dressed in the new woollen coat she got for her birthday. Tonia trembled slightly as a gust of frost swept over them. The heat from the assault still burned through his body, and Ajax didn't feel the chill as much as Tonia did.
"I just wanted to show Natalya my new coat. I was going to be a quick brother! Promise." Ajax nodded, reaching out a hand to pet Tonia's head to steady her quivering body. It was a blessing that his father had asked him to go to the store to buy some bread, and he was able to spot Ivan grabbing Tonia rudely. He saw red and, without thinking, pulled Tonia behind himself protectively.
"Don't do it again. Mother and Father tell us to be careful for a reason. I will tell Mother you were with me this once, but not ever again." Ajax didn't have the heart to shout at her when it was all resolved without any harm falling to her. Ajax could take it. Using his body to protect his family was nothing in comparison to what heroes do in the books he read. "Come now; I brought bread, and I will have the fire ready to warm it up for dinner." Ajax pulled at Tonia's smaller hands, being able to cocoon them in his own easily. Her fragility was so evident when just comparing hand sizes that Ajax wished no harm to befall her.
The snow was soaking into his pants, and the wind was whipping at his face harshly. The frostiness of the air punctured his lungs as he weathered the brunt of the winds for Tonia. They lived somewhat on the outskirts of the village, which made it easier for Father to fish and collect wood to sell. Everywhere he looked was blanketed in glittering harsh white. Their house was large but could hardly cater to Ajax's large family. Sharing rooms was normal, and each task was twice the chore if he was put in charge of looking after Tonia and Anthon. His mother has been with another child since autumn and needed extra help around the house. Pushing the wooden door open and pushing in Tonia first, Ajax slammed it shut behind him. The warmth of the roaring fire in the open living room barely penetrated the cold that was instilled in his bones.
"Ah, Ajax! Tonia? When did you go out?" Tonia looked nervously between their mother and Ajax, unsure of how to lie to the woman. Kind eyes were turning worried by the minute when silence hung for a second too long.
"I saw Tonia making a snowman outside. She said Natalya made some with her family and had been begging me since last week, but Father needed help stocking for winter." His mother nodded while pulling the sweater closer to her body. She shouldn't be out of bed with the temperature so low. "Mother you look chilled. Tonia, take Mother to bed; I'll start with dinner." Tonia nodded, happy to be dismissed, and did not speak of what happened. She quickly grabbed his hand and pressed something round into it. A candy. Ajax wasn't surprised that his mother didn't notice the redness of his cheek. She had too much on her plate to worry about a middle child who could barely contribute anything. Tonia had gently clasped Mother's hand and started to talk animatedly about her fake outing. Her voice is melodic and quietened into happy, distant chimes.
Ajax placed the bread from the basket in his hands by the fire, not too close but enough to warm without burning. Looking into the cupboards, he started to chop anything he could find finely. The knife was sharp and familiar in his hands. The rhythmic thumps of slicing calmed his mind. His two older brothers already had well-paying jobs and lived further into the town with their own new families. Sometimes they would come during festive days, and all the attention would be on them. Katya, Ajax's older sister, was still unmarried and worked as a seamstress, so all housework was deferred to Ajax indefinitely. Life is too monotonous for Ajax to feel comfortable. He wished for adventure in faraway lands where snow would be a distant memory and the warmth of the sun would kiss his skin. His movement stopped, and he gazed at his metallic reflection in the knife. He didn't want to use blades in the kitchen, but instead for dangerous adventures outside his humble home.
The front door creaked open once more, and his father's tall figure entered. The man was burly compared to his mother's weaker disposition. Meat in hand, the man slapped it onto the table and huffed as if to unwind from his long journey.
"Has your mother woken?" Ajax turned around and assessed the meat on the table. It was a good cut, better than he had seen recently, so his father had a good day today. Winter was approaching fast.
"She's with Tonia in her bedroom." He felt his father's gaze burning into his cheek, the redness having deepened with time to become more prominent.
"You fine?" His father talked very little outside of storytelling while fishing. Ajax nodded with a smile wide enough that his flaring pain could be dismissed easily.
"Yeah, I just wasn't looking where I was going when playing with Tonia." His father just held his gaze for a few more seconds than normal. Ajax was sure that he would be questioned, and he didn't want Tonia to get into trouble and not be able to leave the house. "She is probably telling Mother about it. I think she said she wanted to show her new coat to you." Ajax tried to push his father's attention away from him.
"Oh, it came today?" Ajax nodded. "Good, Katya did a good job, if she is already wearing it. Pack the rest of the meat in the snow box and bring in more wood for tonight." Ajax hummed and turned to hide his cheek once more. His father left to venture deeper into the house, and he could hear Tonia giggling with laughter while his father most likely surprised her. It always made him smile somewhat sadly. He wasn't old enough to contribute enough to be noticed, nor was he young enough to need his parents's attention as Tonia and Anthon do. With another baby on the way, Ajax could only see himself holed in this house for longer. His dream was wispy like smoke fading away from his grasp.
He liked to watch Mother cook purely for the reason that he might need to cook for himself when he goes on adventures himself. He likes to tell himself he is practising for the real deal when the time comes, and it cools his apprehension for the future. Katya is the last to enter the house; a thick woollen coat well looked after hung on her shoulders as she bee-lined for the kitchen.
"Hey Ajax, you got a minute?" Ajax had already pressed snow to his face while gathering wood, as his father told him from the shed outside. The coolness of the snow numbed his cheeks, while the warmth of the house inflamed his pain. The borscht was already simmering in an iron pot over an open flame in the kitchen, so he was happy to leave its side for a moment.
"What's wrong, Katya?" Ajax approached her slowly, mindful of tilting his face to hide his swollen cheek from her. She was a beauty with spirals of brown hair and a dimpled smile like Father, whereas Ajax inherited his mother's more ginger tones.
"I know your birthday is a little ways away, but I wanted to know if you wanted a coat like Tonia. Or a scarf?" Ajax shrugged. His birthday was always celebrated joyfully like everyone else, but even then, it felt like he was sharing his day with his siblings. Not that he minded as much as he used to. He grew tired of his parent's exhausted looks when he tried to attract more attention in destructive ways.
"I don't know. A scarf would be nice." Katya nodded excitedly.
"I can bring you some colours, and I'll sew your name into it too for good luck!" He did like Katya the most. She always asked for his opinion and made him feel young. "I bet red would look great on you, and I can sew any pattern into it if you want." Katya grabbed his hand with growing excitement. "How about you go get changed, I think it's getting colder so go and I'll call everyone down for dinner." Ajax was always thankful for her support. Even when she was tired from work she still found time to smother him with love that his parents could not afford currently.
Dinner was a rambunctious affair. Ajax was trying to get Tonia and Anthon to stop fighting over the softer innards of the bread, both hating crust. "Tonia, give me your crust, and you can have the soft parts of my bread." Ajax compromised for them, as he did at every dinner. Mother and Father were in deep conversation with Katya over winter provisions and finances, so Ajax was left to make sure his younger siblings were fed. Today the conversations were running deeper into the night than normal, and Ajax monitored his siblings to make sure they were washed and ready for sleep. As usual, the twin fought at every moment to just get ready for bed but Ajax never felt aggrieved by their rascal-like behaviour. If he could not receive love then he would drown the emptiness in his heart by smothering someone else with it.
"Brother, please read us a story!" Tonia pleaded, her eyes round and wide with hope. Anthon, who was drifting off, blinked awake and clambered over his sister to Ajax's lap.
"I get to be in the centre this time!" Tonia cried in frustration as Anthon put his weight on her as he crawled over her.
"Hey!" Tonia shrieked with tears, threatening to fall. Ajax rushed to check her ankle and found it only slightly red.
"Anthon!" Ajax scolded. "You have to be gentle, or you will hurt each other. Apologise to your sister and be nice to each other." Anthon, startled by Ajax's loudness, turned to Tonia and apologised, feeling remorse when Tonia's voice started to hiccup. Ajax took his time to settle them down and grabbed a worn book from the side, a candle flickering at their side for light. "We can continue where we left off," Ajax muttered as he flicked through the pages.
"Brother. Brother Ajax, why do heroes always leave home?" Anthon frowned, his curly ginger hair tangled and his lips pouting. "If I left home I would be scared and I would miss Mother's hugs every day! Can't they just stay home and be with their family?"
"I'm sure they are scared, Anthon, but sometimes life outside is much more interesting than life at home. There are lands where snow can't touch and the skies are clear enough for the sun to heat your skin." Ajax tried to explain.
"But Brother. They could die or never see their mother again. Won't you want to stay with us forever?" Ajax felt a lump form in his throat. If only his family knew the daydreams he lost himself in. His family is nowhere to be since and with only his person to keep him company.
"Of course, Anthon. I'm not going anywhere. Heroes are just in books, and no one would actually go out into danger." Ajax lied through his teeth. His heart yearned for the world outside, but he also loved his family dearly. He would not hurt them intentionally. His eyes flicked over to the sword and bread hidden between the floorboards before returning to Anthon. "Come on, it's only a story to put you to bed. Leave all the scary stuff to the adventurers." His voice was low but infused with enthusiasm as he acted out the characters with vigour. Tonia and Anthon laughed at his high-pitched whines as he voiced the damsel-like princess. "Oh prince, you must save me and I will reward you with riches enough to buy you a new life. But first, you must slay the dragon who guards this tower!" With time, Tonia fell limp at his side, and Anthon was snoring by the fifth page.
Ajax assumed Katya and his parents had also turned in for the night because of the lack of sound in the house. The odd hoot of an owl and a distant scratching of something unknown knawed at Ajax's sleep. His cheek was hurting once more, and he was sure the redness had deepened into purple. Today was the day he had planned to make his journey. A night out to just taste adventures' sweet honey-like call on his lips. Just one night to experience the outside with his heart jumping into his throat. Adventure's cloyingly deceptive call was making his blood rush and his muscles ache to leave the confines of his home. He laid Anthon to the side and pressed his pillow into the boy's arms, knowing he would wake if he felt something amiss in his sleep. Tonia was a good sleeper and never roused, so he simply pressed a kiss on both their temples. He would be back soon.
Slowly, with careful precision, Ajax crawled off the bed. He stilled at any creak he made, sweat trickling down his back from the tenseness of the situation he was going to put himself in. Crouching on the wooden floor, he wormed his fingers into a slight gap to pry the floorboard out. The motion was well practised every night as he chickened out when gazing back at his siblings' innocent faces. Not tonight, though. His mother would go into a critical state soon, and winter meant they couldn't leave the house as freely as they do now. He wanted to feel the wind in his hair and the thrill of adventure down his spine. It would be now or never in his mind. If he couldn't retaliate against Ivan today, at least he could sneak out of the house like Tonia did. Yes, he was just sneaking out for a moment; no one would know he was gone for the night.
The sword was somewhat blunt; he had found it stabbed in the corpse of a wolf in the woods he was exploring in his spare time during spring. He had washed it, but it was the wrong move to make, as with time it had somewhat rusted without proper care. Without much choice, it is better to have it than not. Stuffing some bread crusts into his coat pocket, Ajax pushed the floorboard back into place. He pushed open the bedroom window slowly, mindful of the wind invading the room.
"Brother?" Ajax stilled. Tonia turned in her sleep as if calling him out in her sleep. His heart was hammering in his chest, and his courage was dwindling quickly. Without thinking, he climbed out and pushed the window close; he could not open it anymore from the outside. A choice to back himself into a corner.
"Ok, Ajax, you got this." He spoke to himself as a gust of wind whipped at his face. Sword in hand, the leather hilt tied gracelessly dug into his skin uncomfortably. He wasn't used to such a blade and held it awkwardly as he trailed towards the woods. Slowly, as the house became smaller behind him, the shackles of family obligations also melted away. The excitement started to truly take hold. Maybe he would fight a wolf, as his father told him adventurers do, and present it to his family in the morning. Yes. It was a win-win situation, and no one would get angry. He would have his adventure, and his family would be provided for.
Boots scrunching in the snow as silvery rays of the moon rained down to bathe his surroundings in their soft, enchanting glow. The snow glittered, and the dead trees looked somewhat eerie. He had never been out so late at night that everything looked so new. The winter chill, frost in the air, twinkling stars above him, and vacuum stillness around him. He was on the edge of something, and god did he just want to be tipped over. The fir trees were thinning to reveal a clearing around a small lake. The stillness of the surface reflected the luminous beauty of the moon above, and Ajax kneeled near its shore to look at his reflection. There were no mirrors at home, so he rarely had a chance to assess himself.
"I look like shit," Ajax grumbled. He relished being able to curse and not hear his mother scold him. But it was true. His cheek was a deep purple, but luckily his skin was not torn, so it would subside in a few days. He pulled off his glove and grabbed some snow to push it against his face. The numbness was a nice feeling. He became lost in thought and the terror of leaving home started to set in.
His eyes were a winking bright, deep ocean blue, and now that he looked closely, his hair was more akin to red copper than ginger, like his mother's. His face was not as round as before, as he shed his youth as puberty encroached and altered his body. Mother did say that puberty changes people, and Ivan was very nice to Tonia when they were but stammering children. But such an excuse meant nothing if Tonia was in danger. Ivan had no excuses for his crass behaviour since Ajax felt no urge to tease another person in such a vile manner. Puberty was no excuse for a teen boy to harass his sweet innocent sister. He wished he could have raised his hand and retaliated, even if it was a feeble punch.
"No more hiding," Ajax vowed to himself, but in his heart, he knew he was too soft for it to mean anything. A sudden howl rang clear, shattering the pleasant silence of the forest. The sound was so near that Ajax dropped his glove in panic and rushed into the forest in fright. Snow, which was pretty before, now impeded his movement as his strides were heavy and the wetness weighed him down. His hands found it difficult to keep himself balanced as he sucked in deep, biting gulps of air. But no matter how much he struggled, the scratching and scampering of something wild honed into his location. The growl vibrated in the air as something latched onto the tail of his coat. Blindly, Ajax swung his sword, and a hurt whine echoed, but he still did not let go of his coat. The beast was wild, eyes blown open with a predatory leer, and Ajax could see its impossibly sharp teeth shred into the thick fabric with ease. The same could be said if it was his limb in the beast's mouth. Shuddering, he quickly ripped the coat from his body and dropped it. The thought of not being able to return home never crossed his mind until now.
His legs burned as if acid were eating away at his remaining energy. The cold was piercing into his skin as he wildly struggled through overarching dead trees to escape the continued growls threatening to tear his body to unidentifiable pieces. Ajax didn't realise he was screaming until he felt warmth paint his pant leg. Another wolf had sunk its razor-sharp teeth into Ajax's lithe calf. His body tilted forward as the guttural yell was deep enough to snap his vocal cords. Without a thought, his other foot kicked desperately at the mutt and a low whine followed. Feeling the animal's grip loosen Ajax whipped the now-heavy sword forward to slash the blade into the soft flesh of its predatory eye. It was the first time Ajax had ever harmed an animal in self-defence. He had only ever fished for sustenance with his father.
The blood was bright as it splattered on Ajax. The warm flecks decorating his body in a searing brand. Madly Ajax scanned his surroundings and noticed a barbed brush with a hole big enough for him to crawl into. Hugging the sword into his chest, uncaring if the blade hurt him, he writhed through the snow into the unforgiving gap. The thorns of the bush caressed him as he was enveloped in darkness and new wounds formed on his untouched skin. The pain was constantly firing at his nerves and he forgot what it was to feel normal.
Suddenly the ground under him turned to air. The darkness which was once a stifling cold was now strangely warm and open. Ajax's eyes blinked multiple times as if to adjust to his new surroundings but it was as if his body had somersaulted and the ground reappeared once more. Frightened by the sensation he crawled faster, not caring as the brambly vines dug into his skin harder. A strange light appeared in the distance and Ajax zeroed in on the chance to escape his prickly cage.
"Where am I?" Ajax muttered in awe. It was exactly like his storybooks. The night sky was shimmering with stars, the ground was hard grey stone with tufts of grass peeking through gaps and a castle towered in front of him. Snow was nowhere in sight and the air hummed over his skin with sorcery unexplained by his homeland. The castle was huge but had weathered a terrible war. The stonework of the flanking defence towers and curtain walls was blown to pieces. The damage had happened a long time ago as vines had twisted their way over the destroyed parts and wilderness invaded the inner courtyard which was exposed to the elements. Propping himself up Ajax approached the structure cautiously. Danger licked his heels so turning back into the bush was not an option. If there was a castle then there was going to be someone who lived here. Small weed-like flowers glowed eerily with white petals and orange wispy centres dotted the ground. With a careful swing, he threw the sword over the wall. Ajax carefully placed a hand on cold stone which didn't seem like it would crumble under some weight. Huffing in pain he swung his damaged leg over and let the rest of his body follow through.
"Gods I'm so weak." Ajax groaned while lying in a messy pile. After a moment of collecting his breath, he noticed a chapel. Candles flickered with life through the stained glass windows and Ajax grew excited. Lit candles meant life and he could get help. With awkward steps, having to drag one leg after a hop, and sword back in hand he approached metal doors. With the whole weight of his body, he pushed against his good leg and forced the undisturbed doors open. The metal let out a high-pitched creak and Ajax slithered his way through the small gap he could make with his limited strength.
Having been surrounded by crumbling destruction it was strange to see such an interior well-kept. Aisles lined with pews of dark mahogany wood appeared welcoming after his long journey. Moonlight filtered in lightly through the coloured windows and candles flickered slightly from the breeze shifting into the enclosed space. The scent of soothing incense filled his lungs and Ajax used the pews as a crutch to enter deeper into the chapel.
"Hello?" His voice reverbed and his eyes strained to look in the distance for any other sign of life. The art of the windows depicted fantastical moments of magic and his footsteps echoed with deep thuds. Each window showed a singular figure dancing and bathing in the blessings of a higher being. An altar came into view and a strange statue was kneeling in front of an empty table.
"Why have you come child?" A voice called out abruptly. It was deliciously silvery and smooth that Ajax nearly toppled over in the middle of his humiliating hobble.
"Er." Ajax was baffled and hesitated to know where to start his explanation.
"You are a strange child. Your soul is bright and blessed with lights which have not touched this world in centuries. Come closer." The voice was so sugary sweet that Ajax had already started to limp his way to the altar. His mind was seduced by the stranger's melody and followed its suggestion without a question. Now realising the statue was a person Ajax approached the person slowly. The man was small and feeble while draped in a sea of grey lace. Golden threads of hair hidden under a white veil concealed the holy glow of the man's features. His eyes were still closed but Ajax noticed the long soft lashes and he wondered what the man's eyes would look like.
"You should not be here. Not be able to enter our lands." The voice now trembling with distraught but the man's cherry red lips did not move to form the words.
"I," Ajax licked his lips, "don't know how I got here." He was somewhat afraid his lack of information would mean he would never see his family but he was more enthralled by this mysterious being.
"Of course not foolish child." Ajax's cheeks burned in embarrassment. "Your arrival was accidental and not written in your fate. The longer you stay here the more the darkness of this land will taint your soul." Ajax frowned.
"How do I get home?" The voice laughed.
"You can't for the time being. You will have to wait for a chance fluctuation in the ether to create a portal back to your homeland." Ajax came closer and grunted as he fell gracelessly to his knees. He dropped his sword next to him and turned to look at the stranger closely. White skin, waxy but smooth and untouched from everything radiated an unknown energy. The same weak hum in the air grew stronger as if the man was the source of this alien energy.
"How long will that be?" Ajax asked with a dry throat. Dread coated his words.
"It could be days or months. You will be unguarded in these lands traveller." Ajax blinked owlishly. "Pay your fee for my protection and I will make your return timely." Ajax's thoughts stuttered to a halt.
"What?" The man snorted unbecomingly at Ajax's uneloquent reply.
"Your strength is but an unprotected candle in an ever-ravenous storm. Such primal gluttony does not care for innocents as yours. Offer me something of value and I will rouse my waning powers to shelter your meagre life." Ajax bit his lip and started to search his person. His pockets only coughed up the lone candy Tonia had gifted him not even a day earlier. He had forgotten he was going to consume it as a dessert before sleep. "What is that?" The voice was now curious and the statue still man moved for the first time. His body did not even rise to indicate breathing and a fragile palm opened in Ajax's direction. Without hesitation, Ajax placed the candy in the outstretched hand and cocooned the candy with his hand. The stranger's skin was stone smooth, cold as if housing an ice vision and Ajax felt energy hum excitedly at the contact between their skin. "Interesting. Your soul is so bright yet your wishes are unfulfilled. What is your dream?"
Ajax pulled back his hand and watched the figure play with the paper wrapping. The hands were long and thin and Ajax wondered what it would be like to entwine the spider-thin fingers with his warmer growing hands. "I don't know what you mean."
"You might be here by accident child but you must have left your home for a reason. You are not clothed in rags but you are bitten by the wild. You ran from home. Were you abused?" Ajax gasped.
"No! My family are the most lovely people." The voice hummed while ripping into the paper and rolling the round candy in their palm playfully.
"Then you wish for something your family can not afford. Are you a thief?" Ajax once again gaped in shock before choking out defensively.
"No! Never." Ajax looked at the stone ground with a complicated expression. "I wished for an adventure and a fight which would change my soft person. It seems like I was not ready for that change." Ajax tried to laugh in self-deprecation to lighten the sullen mood but his companion made no move to join him.
"A foolish fantasy then." The voice summarised. "You have fantastical views of the world but it seems I don't have to convince you of otherwise now." Ajax nodded and gritted his teeth at the pain spiking in his leg. "This object is but a novelty." The voice continued. "Your dream, I will make it come true." Ajax blinked mutedly.
"You will." He echoed in confusion.
"Yes." The figure pressed the candy to its lips and Ajax watched a pink tongue dart out to drag the sugary ball into its mouth. "In return, you will fulfil my wish." Ajax watched the stranger's lashes flutter open and his jaw dropped open. Muted autumnal yellows turned to him. The richness of the colour is lost but Ajax felt something within him tilt of kilter. "You are now tainted by my lands. If you are the sweetest person today then tomorrow you will be a twisted monster hungering for blood without my protection." Ajax felt conflicted.
"And you want to help me go home?" The figure nodded.
"Your eyes which gleam with life reflect your foreign soul. You must leave my lands as soon as possible to conserve your soul. You see I am chained to this chapel. I can not leave and my servants can only defend this castle but you can venture out and return something of mine which is imperative to my living and not just surviving." Ajax nodded.
"Then I'll leave now?" Ajax was trembling to make any progress to get home quicker.
"Your naivete is showing foolish child. If it was so simple then my servants would have completed this task without your interference." The figure moved, the motion slow and elegant as he lifted the veil. Ajax realised that the man had very youthful features with refined beauty which would make any woman burn with jealousy. The figure leaned closer to Ajax and a saccharine scent tickled his nose. With a graceful movement, the figure pulled the candy out of his mouth. Ajax lost his breath at the sight of the gleaming wet ball of sugar which was slightly reduced in size. The hand came to Ajax's face and pressed the ball to Ajax's lips. The muted gold orbs watched as Ajax opened his mouth and welcomed the sweet without question. Fingertips danced lightly over Ajax's dry lips and the younger boy could not help but lick his lip to follow the searing trail left by the stranger. "My essence will shield you for some moments until I will need to remedy the issue again. For now, this will do." Ajax had never once cared for the girls in his village. His family's needs always came first but now his whole being was enthralled by this other being. Head swimming in dizzy heat Ajax reached out and grabbed the stranger's wrist from retreating and pulled them back to his lips. A hot tongue darted out daringly and licked the pads of the fingers which had pulled the candy out of the stranger's mouth. "Daring child, you are not ready for the lengths you will have to go to complete my request."
Ajax shook his head. "I was ready the moment I locked myself out of my family's house. I will fulfil your quest." The figure shook his head but didn't pull back.
"You will continue to see changes in your person as my land taints you. I can't shield you from everything but I can stop your descent into madness. You are but a child of fifteen summers and will need to train for the trials ahead." Ajax nodded firmly. He was ready to risk everything to get back to his family and gain the strength to grasp his dream. "I am Aether and my words are law. You are but an extension of my being now and nothing else until you leave my lands."
Ajax couldn't do anything but nod. "I'm Ajax and I want to be a hero who can help you."
"A hero?" The voice seemed mocking now and the figure pressed a sharp nail to Ajax's lips. "I don't need a hero with his head full of whimsical delusions. I need a warrior who will crush anything in his way. You will stand above corpses and bathe in their blood for me. Your blood will sing when you fight and your life will be incomplete without the thrill of death looming over you. I am your god and you will obey me." The voice of Aether became hard and Ajax's thoughts echoed the words reverently as if to etch them into his every being. "Now rest." The moment the words were uttered Ajax's world tilted and darkness blanketed him. Aether's ice-cold touch skated across his face as if to study his features. "Ajax you will curse your stars that you encountered me. You will realise this god is not very forgiving." Aether sounded pained and so lonesome as Ajax's consciousness faded.