KING OF BEASTS (Hiatus)

A few hours passed and several soldiers on oxback appeared. There were actually close to forty that arrived, half of which were human, and the other half were beastfolk. Twelve Roaring Tridents had come, and six Marching Blades.

Abdan had appeared with his own soldiers and then Ares sighed, hearing Beor and his fellows stand up. ‘God damn it, seriously.’

Ares turned and then threw a smile to Beor and his fellows as Abdan unoxed himself from the oxen, his eighteen soldiers quickly surrounding him and the young girl he had brought along.

“Beor, meet King Abdan of Otee, Abdan, meet Beor son of Geor.”Ares motioned a hand between them all.

“A human?!” Beor asked, reaching back for his axe.

“Draw your axe and we’ll have a problem.” Ares said as he raised a hand and pointed it to Beor.

“We already have a problem.” Beor snarled and then grabbed his axe, his followers beginning to arm themselves.

“I didn’t expect you to be such a coward.” Ares said loudly as he summoned a blade from nothing and then exclaimed. “Form up!”

His army started to get into formation, those near Beor’s folk remained where they were as a few hundred wolves then began to surround Beor’s people from the flanks, the wolf archers drawing their bows.

Beor raised a hand as some of his folk stepped forward to engage, but the bearman looked around. Their armies were of comparable size, though Ares had the advantage through the use of the fort and then the wolf archers. Also, he was Ares. Beor glared at King Abdan but then dropped his hand. He growled something and his folk shuffled back slightly and slowly disarmed.

“King Abdan is an honoured guest of mine. If you take a swing at him, you take a swing at Rivea. I have been quite charitable in returning your life back to you when you swung at me, but I’d be more than happy to take it.” Ares warned as Beor snarled, though cracked his neck.

“Are the humans going to fight for you?”

“I don’t speak for them. They are not Rivean, they are… of Otee.” He wasn’t entirely sure of what to call them. Ares threw a glance back towards Abdan. “Would you mind returning to the fort?”

“If it pleases you, Ahreez.” Abdan bowed his head.

Ares was glad that he was heavily armoured, and even the younger girl was so. They carried with them a blade and a buckler, though the other heavily armoured warriors also wielded large spears.

Ares sighed and then cracked his neck. “I will return in a moment.” Then he looked out to his soldiers before looking at Heria, who had remained nearby. “Colonel.” He nodded towards her as he left. Heria had the solders ease up with a growl, though there were a few chuckles from the wolffolk from afar.

Ares walked to find Abdan with his soldiers around himself and the young teen.

“I am very sorry, Ahreez. I did not mean to cause an issue with my presence.”

“No, no, don’t worry about such a thing. You are a guest of mine, it is my duty to allow you to move quite freely.” Ares bowed his head with a smile on his face.

“There is some competition?” Abdan asked.

“Something like that. Beor and I are having a little bit of a friendly competition. I’m still figuring out what to wager though.”

“You are to set your warriors against theirs?”

“Yes, a friendly fight between our best and theirs.”

“May I join this wager as well?”

“How do you want to join?”

“I shall bet on Rivea.”

“Well, I suppose you may be able to. What will you be willing to bet?”

“I will bet a few jewels that I have brought along.”

“Jewels, huh?”

Abdan smiled and then reached into the pouch at his side, bringing out what seemed to be a pearl necklace. “These would be given to the future Queen of Otee.”

Ares raised his brows in surprise. “Are you sure you want to bet so much?”

“I shall hope there will be a bet of equal value in return.”

“I don’t know if they have something so large.”

“Then I shall offer a single pearl.” He said as he reached down to pull out a pearl.

“Alright, a single pearl. Would you mind if I held onto it and bring it to Beor’s attention?”

Abdan nodded and then handed over the pearl. Ares looked down at it and eyed it up. He knew very little about pearls, but it was rather pretty. Ares looked to Abdan and nodded his head. As he turned, a human soldier stood forward so Ares stopped.

The human soldier looked to the King and then they said something to each other in their own language. Then Abdan looked to Ares and bowed his head.

“If it would be no issue, can Jiaga accompany you? He wishes to join the competition.”

Ares thought about it for a moment. “This is a showcase for Rivea, but for now Rivea also houses those of Otee. I suppose I shall allow it if Beor does so.” Ares motioned with his head to the human soldier.

“Thank you, Ahreez.”

Ares waved a goodbye and then left with the human in tow. He returned to see Beor, who seemed to be in a much darker mood. Beor looked over and saw the human, he tensed up, but didn’t say anything.

“Good news. Kind Abdan has decided to bet on the friendly match between our peoples. He has offered a warrior to fight on our end and also this.” Ares revealed the pearl.

Beor looked to the pearl and raised his brows in surprise. “A milk stone.” Beor grinned wide and stood up. “The human ain’t so bad, is he?” Beor growled quietly.

“So if you win, this milk stone will be yours. Though we have yet to bet anything as of yet.”

“We win, you hand over the milk stone and all the humans. You win, we’ll fight for you.”

“A beast!” Snarled the human and Ares raised a hand, looking back to Jiaga.

“Please Jiaga, I ask that you not dishonour me so.” Ares said and Jiaga quickly stood tall and bowed his head in shame.

“It is my apology.”

“Accepted.” Ares smiled and turned back to Beor. “That’s not a good deal for me. I want something of equal value. We’re talking about a King, a claim to an entire land, for what? A thousand soldiers that aren’t as good as those under my command? I don’t think so.”

Beor snarled and narrowed his eyes. “The milk stone and that Jiaga at your side. I will give to you a hundred of my warriors.”

“How about this. If you win, you get the milk stone. If I win, your people will watch for the next few months of how we do things. Let’s say six months. After those six month I will offer you and your people the opportunity to join, you can say yes and join, or you can say no and leave, but you will leave West.”

Beor narrowed his eyes. “That is all you wish for?”

“Yes, that is all.”

“Very well, I accept as Beor son of Geor.”

“Then I shall accept as King Ares, Master of Waters, Kin of all Riveans. Shall we dicuss the rules of the competition?”

So Beor and Ares hashed out the rules with everyone present. The leaders would partake in the battle with ten of their own warriors. As they began to pick their warriors, Heria hopped off of her wolf.

“I’ll fight with you.” She said to Ares.

Ares turned to face her and then hummed quietly to himself in thought. “Would you instead referee to see that the rules are followed instead? You will have many other ways to fight for me and to honour yourself. Plus, I don’t want to win so easily.”

Heria raised her brow at Ares. “You conquered the Dragon’s Spine, you have a dragon at your side as well.”

“You do have a dragon at your side. You also possess magic and you are a phoenix.” Beor said. “This is too one sided isn’t it?”

“That’s true… Then, what would you suggest?”

“You can fight with three of your warriors and yourself.”

Ares looked to the human at his side and then Saykkera. “So I need to pick one more… that sounds pretty fair to me.” Ares smiled. “In that case, I’ll ask to fight first.”

“No, the leaders should fight at the end. I don’t want you too tired for when I beat you.” Beor grinned wide.

“Fine, I will agree with the competition.” Ares nodded. “Four against eleven.”

Ares shook Beor’s arm and the competition was drawn out. Ares then turned to the six Marching Blades that had arrived. “It seems that not every one of you will be gifted with honour today. So I will allow you to pick amongst yourself who will fight for me.”

The Marching Blades glanced between one another before Gantal then stepped forward.

“I will fight for you, Ares-kin.” She bowed her head.

“Gantal? Well then, we are sure to win. Gantal has quite the kill count. How many humans did you kill again?”

“More than a Company.”

“What?” Ares asked. “Two hundred and something?”

“I stopped counting after such an amount. You hadn’t left many for us.”

“That’s true.” Ares chuckled. “I’m very sorry.” ‘Two hundred and something? Damn Gantal, you’ll make me look bad…’ Ares turned to look at Beor. “Mine have been chosen.”

“I’ve chosen mine as well.”

“Then let’s pick the arena.” Ares said as he smiled.