The Great Journey

Ajax

Hidden from the eyes of the camp underneath an ocean of stars, at the base of small grassy incline where the trees struggled to shade, a grave was dug. With a direct passage to the stars, no better place could have been found to rest the dead. 

Using a wooden stick to dig a grave was a daunting task. Ajax relentlessly hammered at the ground too stubborn to let anyone else dig. Splitters bore into his palms, staining the wood crimson whilst blisters swelled larger with every strike, but guilt overrode his pain. It was his fault for Kollin's death, or so he believed.

Asteer rounded the designated burial hill, a small walk away from the new camp. Returning with a canteen of water he had found in the living quarters wreckage, he passed the canteen to Ajax, superseding the role of digging. Ajax gulped down a decent drink, before walking over to Felicity to offer her some. Sitting on a boulder facing off into the forest, Ajax startled her as he touched her shoulder.

'Drink', he mumbled.

'No thanks', she mournfully declined.

Sitting next to her, Ajax wrapped an arm over her shoulder. She accepted his comfort, leaning against him.

'We didn't know him for long, but I just can't believe ...', Felicity trailed off.

'I know', Ajax sympathised. 'But that's why we have to fight harder. We have a reason too. And we can't let Kollin's death be in vain', Ajax dug for courage in his friend.

'No matter what, we will overthrow that bastard', Asteer piped up from the shallow grave he stood. 'And now even more people know Ajax is the one to follow. We just need to give them a reason to fight. No one wants to fight for the losing side', he boldly stated, concentrating back on digging.

Wiping a tear free from Felicity's chin, a smiled dawned on her plump cheeks.

'I know we are fighting for the winning side, I just hope none of you die in the process', Felicity wept.

'Felicity', Ajax lifted head, to meet her gaze. 'I won't let what just happened, happen to you ok? We all make mistakes, and I should have stepped in, but never again. I won't let Aaron hurt any of you!', Ajax said, turning to give Asteer a nod.

'Don't beat yourself up, Ajax', Lyra commented, rounding the hill. Noticing a sobbing Felicity, Lyra knelt to give her friend a hug. 'It's ok hun, we will stop his madness', Lyra comforted.

'We should kill him in his sleep and end this now!', Felicity yelled into the night.

'We should! But what is our plan Ajax?', Lyra asked.

'Well', Ajax scoured his brain for a final answer to the question he'd been asking himself. 'We wait'.

'Wait?!', Asteer questioned.

'Yes, wait', Ajax calmly spoke, ready with the facts to back his decision. 'We have four people loyal to our cause, and no weapons. We also have no food like Aaron stated, but we can let him get us that like he promised. And like you said, Asteer, people will want to fight with us, but we need to give them a reason too'.

'They already have one! They were all there when Aaron killed Kollin!', Lyra barked.

'Exactly', Ajax remained calm. 'They all saw us all do nothing. Why? Because we have no weapons to fight! We need time. Time to train. Time to make weapons. To plan. To gain followers. If we act rash, we will all end up like him!', Ajax snapped at Lyra, pointing to Kollin's body, wrapped in a bed sheet next to the grave.

'So you won't kill him?!', Lyra objected.

'I didn't say that', Ajax lowered his voice. 'If we kill the killer, without the support of all those people, we become the killer. They will fear us, like they fear Aaron, and someday revolt against us. But if we make the revolt, make every damn person alive on this planet believe Aaron should die, we didn't kill him. We all did. We will all be equal and unified in our decision. Therefore, not deemed as killers, but leaders they need to follow. The leaders who will guide them away from danger and keep them safe, not with fear, but with unity', Ajax explained.