The birth of a hero

An inevitable encounter

Ajax spent the following week in the barn. That was probably the better solution for everyone, because there had been just family quarrels all the time. He wished he had just gone far away. But how could he abandon his siblings here? Never... maybe he should just flee? But how should he get through then, without Mora, and where should he go at all? Thoughtfully he looked at the falling snow. Was he really the monster everyone thought he was? It just happened that he attracted violence and anger, like a magnet... probably he was cursed or else.

"How am I supposed to meet anyone besides my little siblings that I don't argue with?" he asked himself, looking off into the distance. But his siblings were children, innocent and friendly.... he, on the other hand, was... on the threshold of adulthood and in this village lived only old nasty people and the world was too small for him.... He had almost been able to grab the chance to leave this shitty place, but the Fatui were not the place he wanted to be either. Going to the capital had always appealed to him. But military training? Maybe that was just what he was supposed to do? But was he ready to go now? It was probably too late anyway. Ajax sighed and let himself sink into the hay. What was he going to do?

Suddenly he heard his father in the backyard. His footsteps sounded loud. "AJAX!" he yelled across the yard, waiting there with his arms crossed.

After rolling his eyes, Ajax sat up and thought about the situation. If he didn't come, there would be trouble. He knew that. For a moment, he wondered why his father was so angry. After all, a week had now passed since the incident. Uncertain, but hiding this with a defiant pride, Ajax then came out of the barn.

"Yes, what is it, father?" he asked politely, patting the hay off his clothes.

"We have a visitor. I've tried to put in good words for you but there's nothing left for me to say except.... Farewell my son. You'll have to see how you manage by yourself now," the father said sternly. He seemed stern, but also sounded disappointed and sad. Ajax looked at him in surprise. What was that all about? But he couldn't think about it for long, because his father went ahead and there was nothing left for him to do but follow.

When he went with his father into the parlor, the mayor and a gentleman he did not know were sitting there. Mother was busy pouring them tea from the samovar.

"There's the culprit," said the mayor reprovingly. Now Ajax understood. Apparently it was about the incident with the Fatui. He ran an embarrassed hand through his hair, from which haystalks were falling out.

"What do you look like, anyway?" the mother said anxiously, pulling the blades of grass out of Ajax's hair. It was all too whimsical to be true, after all. For the first time, Ajax observed the stranger more closely. He wore a black and red uniform with a very expensive black fur collar. His brown hair was slicked back like those haircuts of soldiers.

"So that's the demon boy.... hm... makes a pretty ordinary impression," he said, laughing arrogantly.

"Yes. But he knocked down your recruits without any weapons, sir," the mayor reported eagerly.

"Hmm... I see..." said the stranger in the uniform, striding towards Ajax. He took his chin firmly in his hand and regarded him for a moment before roughly releasing him. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Ajax ran his hand over his chin and turned away without giving an answer. He didn't owe anything to a pompous guy like that. He was also aware that he was pushed against a wall slowly, but the stranger was just too unlikeable for him to want to talk to him.

"No answer? Too bad... But I wouldn't have let you join Fatui after that action anyway. The Fatui are an organization that is strictly regulated. Only you... can't seem to stick to any order..." the fur collar guy said, grinning wryly.