Chapter Text
When he was a young boy Ajax would listen to his papa tell stories of his adventures. He would curl up in his bed, Theron would throw his arm around him and snuggle him close. Cressida, who always ran warm, would lay on top of the blanket but still stuff her nose into his back.
Their papa would sit at the edge of the bed while his mama tended to the fire in the room. She had been pregnant with Anthon and Tonia at the time, twins that had almost brought her to a shallow hole in the dirt. He remembered the way her cheeks looked at the time, red and round. She looked very plump, almost like a tomato. Ajax remembered whispering it, but not quiet enough as his papa heard and threatened to stop speaking at all if he did not apologize.
Ajax could still remember the look of disappointment in papa's eyes that day. How his story did not sound as fun and thrilling anymore when he eventually continued. It was as if the magic of the moment was gone, replaced by something tenuous and so easily broken. Back then he didn’t know how to fix it. Ajax knew something was wrong but he was still a child wet behind the ears. He hadn’t even been able to remember what a real winter in Snezhnaya looked like. How could he know how to fix something so delicate?
He remembered that look on his papas face as he rushed out of the house. His papas disappointed face looked almost the same as it did all those years ago though the feelings associated with it were different now. Anger and fury replaced the guilt he might have felt once as a child.
He wasn’t a child anymore. At fourteen years old Ajax had heard enough about the world that he was ready to experience it! Why didn’t his parents understand?
(“An adventurer?” His mama said, looking almost sick. “Whatever for?”
“Papa goes on adventures.” Ajax had responded.
Her lips pursed, “Those were just stories Ajax.”)
It doesn’t matter anymore, he decided, I will be an adventurer just like Sergei the bold!
Sergei was the most famous adventurer to have ever come from the nation of Snezhnaya, it was said that he walked right up to the Tsaritsa and offered her six swords. Each from one of the nations of Tyveat. When she questioned what the swords meant and who they belonged to. Sergei answered that they came from enemies of her majesty who dared speak out against her! Her majesty was so pleased with him that she made him a jester in her royal court where he stayed with her forever and still performed for her even today.
One day I will be in her court and she will smile and bestow a favor, just like Sergei the bold Ajax decided as he walked around the side of his house. He had only left minutes ago but to him it felt like an eternity. Here he was ready to set off on an adventure and show everyone that he could make it out in the world. Like the old champions he was ready to bring glory to his nation. But he couldn’t leave while his parents still stood by the window otherwise they would follow him.
(His papa had looked furious as he turned his nose down on him. “You are a child!” He had bellowed.
“I am not! I’m fourteen!” Ajax yelled but not nearly as loud as his papa did.
His statement only served to make his papa even more angry, “Do you think that makes you grown?”)
Ajax paused underneath the window waiting and forcing his body to be as still as he could force it to be. He listened for the low mummer of his mama’s voice and his younger brother's tearful bellows but heard nothing but wind and the soft snowfall that started to cover the ground. He grinned and set off in full view of the house. He walked at first but paranoia clawed his way through his chest and hurried to sprint right into the treeline.
“Ajax!” Cressida yelled at him from the window. “Where are you going?”
“On an adventure!” He yelled back. Turning he tried to catch sight of her, but could only see a glimpse of her strawberry blonde hair through the snowfall that started to fall harder. “I’ll come back when I’m famous!”
She cried his name out again but he kept running. He passed into the treeline and didn’t stop running until he made it into their neighbors yard. Hidden next to a large stretch of trees was Old man Tiki’s lumbar area. He had large wooden sticks that Ajax figured he could carve into a sword. He snuck through the yard mindful to stay away from any bright lights. He looked around quickly looking for them before he was caught. If he did not get out soon the old man may catch him or even worse, his papa would decide to go drag him home instead.
The snow was coming down hard so Ajax settled on a large but not too large stick and ran across the yard. He had to be careful with his directions because he did not pack a compass. It didn’t matter, he certainly knew his directions better than anyone in the village! But if he wasn’t careful he could go straight into the heart of the village from the old man’s house so Ajax took careful steps to sidestep that area.
Between each house was a wooded area, something he took full advantage of when making his way past each house. With his luck any of them could have already been informed of his runaway status. If so, they would be more than happy to grab him by the ear and present him to his mama. He couldn’t count the amount of times his own parents had grabbed misbehaving children, punished them, and sent them back to their parents in due time with a note and a pie.
He scowled and slid close into the farthest tree he could find from the village exit. Their village wasn’t very large but it was very well connected to each other. If any of them saw where he was or which exit he took he would be in big trouble. With that in mind he took a deep breath and poked his head past the tree to take stock of his situation.
Just as he expected, Fredrick and Giovi stood at the exit waiting for their father to come back from the neighboring village a few days away.
Because his status as an adventurer was a more last minute thing, he was not able to plan around the two boys. Otherwise he would have taken a day for when they weren’t standing there bored. It wasn’t that he disliked them, but well they were more like grownups than kids his age. If anyone was liable to send him home it was them. He took in a great breath of air and walked past the tree. His bag which had been haphazardly thrown together sat on his back making him look casual and unassuming. Both boys paused and turned to look at him with identical expressions of disbelief and amusement.
“What are you doing?” Fredrick spoke first, he was the older of the two and acted like it. “It’s almost nightfall, go on and hop back to your home.”
Ajax tried to look innocent. “I’m just going on a walk.”
“A walk?” Giovi spoke, turned opposite from him and looking through the trees for his father.
Fredrick gave his brother a nasty look, “Don't encourage him. Go home Ajax.”
“I promise I just wanted to get out of the house.” He held his hands out and showed off his large stick. “I have protection!”
“That’s not going to protect you.” Giovi looked at him finally but it was with an amused tilt to his lips. “It’s just a stick.”
“I’ll carve it into a sword!”
Both boys laughed as if Ajax said something particularly funny. He felt himself flush and his fingers curled around the stick tightly.
“Do you even know what a sword looks like?” Still gasping for air, Fredrick asked.
“Yes!” He said embarrassed.
“Go home Ajax.” Fredrick said. He turned and thumped his brother on the back, as he started to choke on his laughter. “We won’t tell your ma you came all the way out here.”
“Tell her! I’ll be back soon anyway.”
“Ajax.” Fredrick said warningly. But Ajax paid no mind to him and started walking. Both boys went silent as he passed and made no move to stop him.
“Be careful.” Giovi said. “I heard there were all sorts of things running around at night. You remember what happened to Vivi?”
Of course he remembered. Vivian had been one of the village girls who had been forcefully married off. He remembered the whispers as everyone heard her scream no and pleaded with them to cancel the wedding. Ajax had felt terrible for her and brought her his special fire candies his father brought from the south of Snezhnaya. She had been grateful he remembered, but her eyes were red rimmed and puffy. It was the last time he saw her as she ran into the forest and was never seen again. The mayor sent men out to find her but all they came back with was pieces of her body.
It made Ajax shiver to remember. He had been feeling very brave moments ago, but with one mention of danger he felt like the little boy wilting under his fathers stare once more.
“I’ll be careful,” he promised and set off into the forest. He took care to not run, and walked at an amiable pace into the lush trees. He could not tell which was which because of the thick snow covering every direction. It was getting oftly cold and the sun was even starting to go down.
He sent a quick prayer to the Tsaritsa and started his trek. It was not before he found a hunters path set out from the other village men. He went to the large oak tree and brushed the snow off the bark. He scanned the carvings and came to the conclusion that the bears could be found to the left and the fishing lake his father would take him to would be found to the right.
Ajax shrugged his bag off to check his food supplies. It was as measly as he remembered, only a loaf of bread his mama had baked the night before. He made sure to cover the bread extra tightly with the cloth he found at the bottom of the bag and dug around until he found a knife. Just as he rushed out of the house he had also stolen his oldest siblings' hunter knife. Ajax promised to himself that he would return it one day.
He sat down against the base of the hunters tree and started whittling away at his large stick. First the handle, because every cool sword in the story has an equally impressive handle. He took careful strides to put delicate engravings in it and even put his name. Because one day someone would find it and think, “yes, Ajax the brave! The boy who made his family proud!” And even baby Teucer would recite his story just as Ajax recited the story of Surgei the bold. It made him smile to think of and he went away whittling.
The handle was really coming together! Maybe I’ll make a sheath for it, he thought, but I need leather to make it. A thought for another time it seemed. He hadn’t even left the forested area yet. His parents could still find him so he needed to get up and make his way out. He took careful steps to clean his feet of the snow and shake out his red scarf to free it of the loose leaves that had trapped themselves there.
He was very cold but if he moved more he would warm up in no time. He looked at his sword and stuffed it into his pants for safe keeping. He moved his fingers into his sleeves and started walking left to the ice fishing pond.
His fingers were cramping from the cold so Ajax tore them out of his sleeves and stuffed them down his pants along with his sword stick. He learned that trick from his older brother. Thankfully Theron wasn’t messing with him this time and it actually worked. Warmer and ready to set off on his adventure he didn’t pay any attention to his surroundings thinking he was safe.
He was wrong.
Ajax stepped on giving no care to the darkened sky or the way the snow finally let up. He did not notice the silence of the forest or the way even the creatures did not dare stir. He noticed none of it, because he was not a hunter but a boy.
What he did notice was a roar so loud his ears started ringing. He turned hurriedly and pulled both his hands out of the front of his pants. Behind him stood a large bear, taller than even his father. It was wide but he could not tell its color because the forest was suddenly very dark indeed. With a quickness born out of his want for survival Ajax pulled out his wooden sword and held it in front of him just as his father did when reenacting his adventures.
The bear took no notice and charged at him. Ajax held his ground determined to fight. But when the bear came a claws width away from him he turned tucking his tail behind his legs. Like the coward he thought himself to be, Ajax rushed through the forest. He refused to rush back to the village so instead he ran deeper into the bear's area. The bear charged right after him, slow and agitated.
It should be hibernating! Ajax knew he must have stumbled across its resting place and disturbed it horribly for it to chase after him. Try as he might, he could not remember having done anything at all to attract its attention.
But it was okay! I’m an adventure now so I have to fight the bear, he thought while running for his life. Ajax turned his head only to be met with the bears bright white teeth. No!
He fell and hit the ground rolling across the dirt and further from the bear. It brought him a few precious moments but everything hurt from the pain of falling ontop of a log. The bear paused to roar thunderously as Ajax picked himself back up and ran as hard as he could.
The forest seemed to be never ending but he knew if he just got far enough the bear would stop chasing him. Eventually it would get tired of him and leave, Ajax just needed to outlast it.
This was the life of an adventurer, he thought as a wolf jumped at him from the side. The wolf skidded right over his head as he rushed to throw himself to the ground and right through a pile of leaves.
The leaves were not settled onto the ground though. No, they covered a large hole he fell right through. At first, Ajax thought it was a man made hole that would only be a few feet deep. Embarrassing, but someone would find him in the morning if he didn’t freeze to death first.
But he kept falling. And as Ajax kept falling and falling he realized that maybe he wasn’t a very good adventurer at all.
An eternity later he fell onto the hard ground, his head making a loud THUMP sound as it hit the ground last.
His vision darkened and he was passed out.
Coming to consciousness was a sudden thing. One moment he felt as if he was asleep, the next his eyes were opening and his limbs felt like they were one fire.
His vision took but a moment to focus. Ajax wished more than anything in the world that it never did. Because what he saw would be the last thing he ever did before he met Celestial once and for all.
Yellow eyes peered over a long black snout, the teeth of a beast mere inches away from Ajax’s face. A line of drool dropped from its open mouth and splattered onto his chin. Ajax opened his mouth and screamed.
The beast, startled, flinched backwards enough for Ajax to lift his burning arms and grab it by its large ears. He threw the beats sideways and he stood up. Strength he never had before coursed through his body as he flung his body into the air and stood on his own feet. The beast was not deterred though and lunged forward to slash at him with its long claws.
It was like no animal he had ever heard or seen before. The beast was large and almost dog-like, but it stood on its own two feet and seemed unbalanced. Its large teeth seemed to prevent it from closing its mouth and the large ears he had used to throw the beast were positioned oddly on its head. Almost like human ears rather than a dogs.
Ajax scrambled backwards and reached for his stick he never got to finish carving but cursed himself sure he would find nothing. The stick, he just lost it while running from the bear! But when his hand reached down it touched something metallic. A scabbard hung from his waist. He pulled something from it and found himself face to face with a sword. It looked exactly like the one he envisioned when he left to adventure in the world.
Ajax had no time to marvel at this though as the beast was still coming at him. Ajax tried to remember his papas words as he readied to cut the beast down. Like a real adventurer, Ajax could not lose and die here. His sword in his hand he swings the sword at the same time the beast moves its large claw across his face. Startled, he screamed but the beast howled as well.
Ajax had taken the beast's hand, but now he was injured as well. His entire face welled with blood and his body started to fail him. The beast was screaming on the ground though and it seemed not to notice him anymore.
Boy and beast ignored each other as they focused on their own death wounds. Tears and blood mingled together as Ajax fell to the ground clutching all over.
Fire. It burns. It hurts so bad, I want to go home now. I’m sorry I ran away to be an adventurer. I am a coward!
The beast stood angry and hurt and hurled itself onto Ajax. Just like before he was face to face with teeth. But now he was covered in his own and the beast's blood.
Yellow eyes came down and its mouth opened at an abnormal width. He closed his eyes and faced his death like a man. In darkness.
He did not die.
Ajax opened his eyes to a dark ceiling of something. He was outside still, he could tell. But the sky was not truly a sky, but a cloud of darkness. It was an interesting sight that distracted him momentarily from the sheer terror he felt.
Ajax was not dead. He was not harmed at all! Pulling his sight away from the sky like matter he turned downward and found no blood or injury. With as much caution as he could muster he moved his hand and poked at his own stomach. Nothing. Slowly he moved it across his face and felt for deep scratches or even scars. Not a single thing but smooth unblesbined skin.
That makes no sense at all, he thought crossly, there was this beast. And I was fighting it and- He cut himself off and looked for that beautiful sword. But at his side was no golden sword from his dreams, not a scabbard made of metal so precious not even the mayor had ever seen it. No, by his side was a stick with a poorly carved handle.
Indigent, he reached for his stick and stood up. At least not his body did not feel as if it was on fire. He was still scared of course. But he couldn’t allow himself to be for long. After all, has anyone ever heard of a cowardly adventurer?
The thought made him snort and he took off to explore. That hole he fell into was strange, it seemed there was a new world down here that nobody had ever heard of! That made him pause and a wide grin etched onto his face. He disregarded the dream all together and took off with a new sense of purpose and bravery.
This is what Ajax would be known for! Ajax the conquerors king! The man who discovered life and beasts underground and fought them bravely. He would present this to her highness the Tsaritsa and she surely would grant him a place in her court for this discovery alone! Much less conquering it!
With a sturdy quickness he took off. And it didn’t take long to find something new to fight. It was an odd humanlike being with a robe and an aura surrounding it. No matter! Nothing Ajax couldn’t fight!
In the end he did end up fleeing from the cackling thing but it was alright. He managed to sharpen his stick on it and even managed to stab it a few times.
Most of his fights ended up like this. With his sword getting good use and opponents making him flee. It felt like hours later before he finally managed to defeat a hillichurl. Weak as it was, it was his first step into becoming a real adventurer he conquered this underground world!
Ajax was just settling on to the floor with his only loaf of bread when he heard the click clack of heels on the hard flood. With a sigh he put his bread back and picked up his sword stick. Except what he was faced with was not a beast or a thing that looked vaguely human. But an actual woman!
He stood and brushed the dirt off his pants trying to make himself look presentable. The first person he’s seen in so long and of course he looks like a mess.
The woman did not look charmed to see him though and before Ajax could even open his mouth and proclaim himself king the women spoke.
“You killed my hound so you will replace it.” The woman said.
And that’s how he met Master Skirk.
She wasn’t much taller than him and not even a better fighter either. She wasn’t intimidating or particularly good at anything. She wasn’t even motivated to help him conquer the area!
But she insisted he call her Master Skirk and she brought him to her home. Even her nasty personality could. But her home was nice and warm and she was kind enough to feed him and answer his questions.
“So Master Skirk,” the name was awkward in his mouth but his mama had raised a polite boy, “What is this place anyway?”
“The abyss.” She answered. She watched him eat with a discerning eye. “Take some roast as well. I need you stronger.”
Ajax wasn’t going to argue with the women trying to feed him more. “What’s the abyss?”
Skirk paused and something odd passed over his face. “That’s not a question easily answered.”
He frowned at her, “Well how did I end up here?”
“I don’t know.” She sighed and leaned back in her kitchen chair. “You killed my hound and I had to track your location.”
“I didn’t kill any hound!” Ajax said. He tried not to think of that beast from when he first landed here.
“You did.” Skirk replied unconcerned. “With this sword in fact.”
She reached underneath the table and pulled out the sword he saw from his dream. Ajax’s mouth fell open and a piece of food fell out.
“My sword!”
Skirk withheld it from him with distaste, “You’re certainly not worthy of a gift from the abyss while you look like that.”
“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean!”
“That you’re weak.” Skirk was not concerned with mincing her words. “A weak little boy killed my hound so now you’ll take its place.” Something unsaid laid behind her words but Ajax discarded it.
“I didn’t kill it!”
“You did.” She sighed exhausted. “It doesn't matter. In your awake time you will take its place. Fight for your life and this home and the abyss will tell you when you’re done.”
“That doesn’t make sense!” Ajax tried to stand but he could not. His body felt like jelly and legs refused to cooperate.
“The abyss is telling you to sleep.” Skirk watched him with a disgusted expression. “Sleep then.”
Ajax could only watch helplessly as his eyes slid close and he slumped into the chair.
Awake time did not mean the morning or daylight. Because the Abyss did not have a sun or moon there really was no way of knowing when he should sleep or be awake. So instead Ajax would go to sleep whenever his body felt tired, and wake up whenever Master Skirk made him wake up.
He didn’t know when she went to sleep but probably when he did.
Master Skirk decided that since he killed her hound Ajax would make a great replacement. That did not sound like being an adventurer, and he told her as much but she kept talking about the abyss and how they’ll decide and at that point he stopped paying attention to what she said.
Since she wanted a hound she started training him to use the sword of his dreams. Ajax tried only once asking her how she got the sword when he knew he had used it. He asked why his stick, that she made him throw out, was next to him, and he asked about her hound. Because he knew did not kill that beast with the yellow eyes.
But she never answered. She always whispered about the abyss.
Crazy lady.
Master Skirk knew how to teach someone to fight though. So even though he acted as her dog he was getting in a lot of training and practice.
Practice was patrolling the area and killing any monster that dared to come near the home she built. He learned their names eventually, as Master Skirk liked lecturing him from afar.
“Abyss Lectar!”
“Hillichurl!”
“Abyss Mage!”
“Oooh an Electro Abyss Mage!”
“Why do they all have the word Abyss in it!” He yelled as he tore down two abyss mages and a hillichurl. His sword felt light and airy and he swung it with the strength of a thousand men.
“Hounds should not question their master!” She called back and sent him on his way to another patrol.
Another of her quirks. She refused to call him by his name and instead only referred to him as a hound or dog. At some point he learned to accept it. He thinks he spends too much time around her.
She trained him though. He told himself that was the only reason he stayed with her. Before he would sleep and as soon as he woke up, he would swing his sword a thousand times. He would push rocks and exercise as she bid.
Master Skirk never praised him but he knew she was proud all the same.
“Go to sleep now.” She ordered when he came home.
“Yes Master.” He said and went to his designated corner in her home.
Master Skirk smiled wickedly, “When you wake up I’ll let you fight that Abyss mage that’s been bothering me.”
His pulse quickened. She never let him fight anymore. His protrols had turned from fighting everything he found to spotting them and running through ways he would defeat them.
His blood sang at the thought of a good fight waiting for him.
“Thank you Master Skirk.” He said and went to sleep happily.
When he woke up it was to the craving of blood. He frowned and ran his tongue against his sharp teeth. Odd but he shrugged it off. He wanted to fight already! He stood up from his pillow and shrugged the ragged blanket off his body. He lifted his arms up into the air and stretched until he heard the familiar popping sound.
With a grin he walked outside the home and found himself face to face with the abyss mage.
I want to eat it, he thought. He rushed forward with his shining golden sword and immediately started slashing at it.
It was unlike all the times before. He was not the best fighter, and that he was willing to admit before, but he was no slouch either. This was easy though. So easy that his sword went right through its shield and into the abyss mage.
It disappeared as all the monsters did.
Ajax laughed and started to walk forward and patrol. He wanted to fight.
“Dog.” Master Skirk called.
Ajax paused midstep, “Yes Master Skirk?”
“The abyss wants you to learn something new today.”
Ajax debated ignoring her and listening to the call of his blood to fight. But he knew that ignoring her never worked for long and she would find him and beat him into the ground if he dared. So he forced himself to turn and meet her smile head on.
“Come forward Ajax.” She said, still smiling.
He hesitated. Ajax?
“Ajax.” She said not smiling.
Ajax?
“Ajax.” Her teeth, he saw, were sharp.
He turned and ran, as far as he would take him. Ajax kept his sword safety in his hand ready for him to turn and strike. But he couldn’t. Even if what was chasing him wasn’t his master he couldn’t hurt something with her face. It was almost like he was hurting her and he couldn’t do that.
Ajax ran as far as his feet carried him. He felt no tiredness or hunger. He could not remember the last time he had eaten. If he thought hard enough he would realize it was when she gave him that dinner. That was when she found him. But how long ago was that?
He ran and a clawed hand reached for his shoulder.
When he turned his head he was met with the sight of bright yellow eyes.
Ajax blinked and there was nothing.
No Master Skirk, no monsters, no rocks and dirt. He was surrounded by nothing but cliffs and a river. He looked down and kicked at the ground. What even was this place?
“Master Skirk!” He called out. Maybe it was like what happened to him before. That dream landed with his sword, maybe he was dreaming and he had a nightmare. Ajax tried to come up with a thousand theories but none held water.
It felt real.
“Master Skirk!” He called out, but the abyss did not speak.
He walked forward.
He walked for what felt like seconds, minutes, hours.
Ajax could not tell when time seemed to resume or when hunger clawed at his stomach. It was almost like coming out of a long dream. His sword felt heavy where before it was light. He looked at it for a long moment, almost expecting it to turn into a stick again. It remained as it did in his original dream. Golden and beautiful.
Ajax looked to the sky and saw a hole in it. Blue and beautiful, a real sky peaked through the hole. Home? His thoughts could only be treacherous. Maybe Master Skirk will be there,he tried to justify his decision to scale a mountain. His hands were long and beast-like. His nails hardened as he used them to claw his way up like a beast from his nightmares.
The hole was getting closer. If he just kept climbing maybe…
He reached his hand up and found the top of the mountain. Ajax was right, there was a blue sky peeking through the hole. Maybe it was time to return home.
Ajax reached for the hole, it seemed impossibly far away from below the mountain but now that he was on top of it the hole couldn’t be any closer. He clawed for the hole and felt something sticky. Frowning he pulled his hand through and stuck his other in as well. With his clawed hands he dug them through the sticky ground and hauled his body through the hole.
When he looked out he did not see Master Skirk. Ajax did not see his mama or papa. There were no siblings to admonish him or village elders to drag him home.
He saw bodies littering the floor. Ajax saw blood and mini knives. Lighting and water dragons clashed in the sky.
Ajax saw violence and he wanted to be in the middle of all of it.