KING OF BEASTS (Hiatus)

A day had passed since they found out about the humans marching towards them. Asyllia had gone to check on the humans and it seemed that they managed to arrive at the path by last night and had sent forth about three hundred soldiers up the path. There were almost double at the base of the mountain that were currently creating some kind of encampment. 

Ares had spent the last day working with the carpenters and farmers, letting the warriors decide between one another who would come and join him. There were a few bouts, but Ares disallowed such things quickly when he had heard of such things.

When he awoke the next day, he and Asyllia went to explore the area. Asyllia had revealed to him a cave nearby. He used his ring to try and find if there were any ore deposits nearby, and after a few hours of searching through the cave he finally found a sliver of ore within the walls and then went about to making a pathway towards the mine that was safe and set several labourers to deal with it. He left Rori in charge of it, he needed someone he could trust after all.

Once that was dealt with, he returned to his Kingsblut in training. The ten of them had lined up and had waited for him for about three hours. “Good. Alright, you guys have been doing fairly well the passed few days, so it’s time to take this to the next step. From now on each of you are to be unnamed, or rather, you will be called only numbers. One through ten.” He then began to give each one a number. Korra became Three, the girl that had attacked him had become Nine, and the boy, Ten.

“We’ll be doing much from now on, but for now, you’ll be the ten that will be the front line of our army that will go and meet the humans. I expect you to be the first to the fray, and the last out. You will each be equipped with decent enough gear so you don’t have to be afraid of that. If you run, I will consider your application over.”

With that he left them to their training once again, rubbing his forehead as he thought about the humans. Them capturing Inta had been something that was extremely unexpected, he had thought the three would have managed to go in and go out like lightning. If it were anyone else, he would have care much less, but this stressed him out. He would have still mobilised to go and meet the humans, but Inta was a good guy, and he worried for their safety.

When night came Asyllia had told Ares that the humans had marched a fair ways in, and that they would be here the day after, though couldn’t be too sure when. So Ares made his move.

He gathered the hundred soldiers, and the twenty others that were going to help them. “Alright. You will be known as the First Century, you will be the greatest soldiers within all the kingdom. Your training will be harsh, I will put you through hell. Then your glory will reach the heavens.” Ares raised a fist into the air. “Now let’s show these humans some fucking business!” He roared and then the others wailed and hollered before Ares went to go and bring the human captives, leading them up front. The Ten walked around him, his soon to be Kingsblut making sure that the humans don’t flee. 

Ares threw a look towards Rori and nodded, getting a nod in return. Lana stood beside the bearman, her foot tapping the ground. It had taken him some convincing to have her remain, and Ares had to acquiesce much to her for her to remain, but even so she seemed to want to leap into the wind, throwing caution away, and to fight alongside him.

He nodded towards her and then turned quickly, leading the beastfolk away with the humans in tow. 

They travelled for some hours, moving swiftly since their logistics were prepared so well for them. This would be perhaps the most well prepared they would ever be. Ares had yet to feel at full strength though, the fight with the humans whilst using his water magic had taken much out of him, and he still felt drained the entire time. 

Asyllia eventually flew passed them as they began to make up camp. A meal was cooked for the hundred and forty or so people that were here, a fine meal thanks to the logistics they had figured out. Ares took first watch along with a few of the others. Two of The Ten remained on watch at all times too in order to look after the humans. The other pair would need to take care of them during the day.

Asyllia eventually flew over and appeared. “We will meet them tomorrow, noon?” She sat down opposite Ares and then Ares poured her something to eat. The pair ate silently before they were done and then Ares grilled her on what she saw.

It seemed not much changed. Inta was still being dragged along around the back and seemed to be wearier, growing further so with each day. There was a tingling within Ares’ body, and there was an electric energy within the air. Ares was itching for a fight, despite his own thoughts, his body wanted it. He craved the fight now, and it frightened him so. 

He looked up to Asyllia. She was a beautiful woman, long red hair, shining silver eyes. When he had seen her scales, they were a dark red, near black, but when the light bounced off of her, she was more ruby.

“So you were some kind of guardian for the temple?”

Asyllia looked up at him, her eyes staring at him with the same intensity she always did. “Yes, I was.”

“How does one become the guardian for the temple?”

“We are born under a star, the star gives us our power, our strength, and it gives us our purpose.”

“That sounds pretty heavy.”

“A burden I must carry, though it has been passed on.”

Ares furrowed his brows in confusion for a moment and then the realisation flooded through him as he relaxed his shoulders and let out a chuckle. “Right, right. It’s been passed on…” He said as he thought about those words. “What do you think about that? Your burden has been passed on to a stranger.”

“You are no stranger. You are the friend of Rivee.”

“Right, right, that’s true. Still, what do you feel about that?”

Asyllia remained silent. She looked down towards the empty bowl and then back up into his eyes. “You are the friend of Rivee, and you have been chosen to guard their shrine.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I am yours to serve.”

“Yeah, but how do you feel?”

“I feel as you wish for me to feel.”

Ares let out a frustrated sigh and then shook his head. “Are you being obtuse on purpose?”

“If that is what you wish.”

“I wish to know how you feel. I don’t know why you won’t tell me.” Ares sighed and then looked down to his bowl. “Look, I just want to make sure you’re fine and that you won’t stab me in the back because I stole your job.”

Asyllia’s eyes flashed with something, but it quickly disappeared. “I will not betray you.”

“Ah…” Ares felt a cool sweat over his brow. “That was a joke, I don’t think you’ll betray me. I just want to know whether you’re fine with that. Most people would be in a great deal of pain.”

“I have gained another burden in place of it.”

“Well, sorry about that. I’ll try not to be too heavy of a burden.” Ares chuckled. He remained silent and then went for a walk as he took watch.