KING OF BEASTS (Hiatus)

Ares cut through the air, his wings stretched out apart as if to enveloped his people within them as he stared down at the tiny dots, like ants making their way about. He flew around the area to try and find where he could form a chain of villages. He followed along the road to see where he could clear out areas for his people to move to. As he flew around, weaving around the mountain’s edges, becoming rather annoyed by the winding paths. If only he could fly in a straight line, that way he could easily send units to the front line…

He paused in his thinking and then looked down at the mountain. He looked out into the distance, narrowing his eyes before then spinning as he dove to the ground, aiming for beside the shrine. He then shifted back into his human form, spinning on a foot as he almost fell into fountain. His head throbbed and he grabbed onto his.

No more spinning, Ares decided.

He then made his way to Asyllia, who was currently walking along the road heading up to meet him. “Asyllia, can I cut a path straight from here to the base of the mountain?”

Asyllia bowed her head. She did not ask Ares whether he had the ability to do such a thing, she was loyal enough to him that she merely responded to the intention of the question. Others may have asked whether he had the ability or not, though he doubted Torak or Rori would have done so.

Ares smiled. “Come fly with me.” He said as he then leapt into the air and soared ahead, Asyllia following immediately after.

Ares flew over the mountain, flying as straight as he possibly could. He counted within his mind as they flew. It didn’t take that long for him to fly out to the base of the mountain, surprising the soldiers and the crafters there. The Marching Blades saluted him as he landed, and Ares nodded towards them.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you, I’m just here to… well, it doesn’t matter as of yet.” He smiled as Asyllia landed nearby. He turned to face her. “Would you say we flew pretty straight?”

She nodded and then Ares thought for some time. He looked up to the sky and then back down to Asyllia. “I counted and I think I’ve found the halfway mark between here and the shrine. I will mark it for you on the way back.” Asyllia nodded.

They flew off once more and Ares plunged downward when he thought he was halfway across. The area was atop a particularly jagged mountain top. He grabbed onto the rocks as he shifted back into his human form, and Asyllia grabbed onto another rock nearby.

“This is about halfway. Is there any place that you can see that’s decent for a watch tower and another fort?” Ares asked as the wind whipped at him, his voice being carried off.

Asyllia looked around with Ares, and they both found an area nearby. Ares flew over to a patch of land that was heavily forested further down. “This seems like a good area, clear view of the path I intend to pave…” Ares said as he looked out before him. There would be a lot of terraforming to be done.

“Alright, I’ll mark the way half way back to the shrine too, and that’s where the first watch tower will be made. If you find a good place for a village, call out to me and we’ll check it together.” Ares said as they flew up once more.

As they flew back, they had managed to find quite a few areas of note for the various villages that Ares had planned to form. He started to pile up some dirt around the place in order to easily identify the area on the way back. Finally they approached the shrine once more and then Ares dropped down.

“Asyllia, inform the representatives of my plan. I’m going to get some work done.” He bowed his head to her as she replied with a nod before then soaring into the sky once more. Ares found the closest areas around the shrine, veering to the near the mine as well, and then cleared out large areas for the villages to be formed. He’d have to split some of the carpenters up, but he was glad that the new influx of oxfolk probably brought quite a few with them. He recalled now that he probably should have checked how many oxfolk were coming, as well as how many of them were going to be crafters and such.

Ares cleared large sections of land, about ten in total as he then formed mud walls around the various areas. It had taken him until evening, and he went to check the halfway spot before then flying back, marking the halfway point that was nearest to the shrine, and then finally he returned in the evening. He was mentally taxed, but he smiled as he approached the representatives.

“Anything new that I need to hear?” He asked, looking first at the Horns before then at the others.

There was quite a ruckus about everyone moving, but Ares dismissed such things with a smile.

“Don’t worry, we’re dealing with that. I’m sure you will be happy once it’s come to fruition.”

“What exactly is it that you have in mind?” Inks asked. Inks was a wolffolk man that was marked all over his body with some form of black ink or other markings, Ares wasn’t sure.

“I will be creating small communities fairly close together. Eventually each community will expand, but there will be more than enough space between the various villages for such a thing to occur. I want to foster good relations with one another, and I have an idea of how the various villages will operate. I’d like for each village to be good at something, not uniquely so in case anything happens to the inhabitants from war or disease, but as a general rule I would like each community to be focused on something.”

Inks narrowed their eyes but nodded in response. The others continue to grumble, but there wasn’t much more than that. Ares threw a look at Rori and then to Sohka, leaving them be to finish their debates as he went to grab a meal, hoping there was something left.

Heria followed Ares as he left and then finally confronted him as he ate, though she grabbed some food for herself as well.

“Are you free to talk?” Heria asked as she sipped on some soup. Ares nodded and she continued. “The wolffolk are becoming frustrated. We don’t have much space to run as we please, mountains aren’t usually my people’s favoured terrain. We like the open plains, is there any chance you could move some of us out?”

“Some of you? Not all?”

Heria nodded. “It’s only affecting the elderly and the young. Most of us are fine, but there are a large amount that need to stretch their legs.”

“This is the kind of thing you should bring up in the meetings.”

“It’s a little embarrassing for our kind.”

“Ah, fair enough. Alright, that’s fine. Although I don’t want only all the elderly and young leaving. How about you send them back down towards the base of the mountain for now? Take the Roaring Tridents too, I want the Marching Blades here to rest. Could you set to forming a small force of your warriors to protect the area? Just a few squads, thirty six in each.”

“I can do that. Thank you for listening.”

“Any time.” Ares smiled as they continued to chat for some time. Lana eventually arrived, though before Ares could speak with her, Roshe appeared.

“Ares-kin.” Roshe motioned his head away. Ares excused himself as they walked aside before they continued. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about the leather production.”

“Right?” Ares nodded.

“I hear we’re getting a lot of new oxfolk coming, and well, it’s going to be a little rough with how much leather we have to equip everyone if you’re planning on increasing the size of the army.”

“Yeah, I was thinking about that.”

“Do you want us to shift production?”

“For now, let’s focus on open-toed sandal boots, and then…” Ares thought about it for a few moments. “Helmets, shields, backpacks. In that order. Armour can come last.”

Roshe nodded. “Alright, I’ll let the others know.”

“I’ll drop some more leather into the store. However, please continue equipping the elite squads like the Roaring Tridents and the…” Ares rubbed his chin. “Yes, continue that.” A stray thought had come to him, that when he upgraded the units, the armour may become useless, though he could always recycle it to someone else with a similar build.

“Understood. I’ll let everyone know.” Ares nodded and then furrowed his brows. “Hey, Roshe… has everyone been working every single day?”

“Yeah, we have.”

“… All day?”

“Other than to eat and to have a few breaks, pretty much.”

“Oh.” Ares said. “Uh, we’ll talk in the morning. Tell everyone they can go and get some sleep.”

Roshe nodded and then Ares rubbed his forehead. ‘I probably should have thought about that…’