KING OF BEASTS (Hiatus)

Once Leonta had surrendered the fight to Ares, Ares had returned to the wall to speak with his own people.

“It seems as though everything has been dealt with, come on out,” Ares said to his companions. He waited to see if any of them would protest to such a thing, but they all prepared themselves to meet with the others, placing away their weapons.

‘… Oh come on, at least say it was cool or something…’ Ares glanced aside, a little bashful that they didn’t think it was weird he had dealt with it so easily, but at the same time he felt a little bit of pride knowing they trusted him so much.

He opened up the camp, about a third of it towards Leonta. “Would you like something to eat, chief?” Ares nodded his head to Teorn who then went to start up the food for the morning. Ares had slipped some meat onto some leather on the ground for Teorn.

“I’m not sure if we have enough to feed everyone this morning, but perhaps those we captured would be willing to dine with us?” Ares glanced back towards the camp to make sure there were no dead bodies around in case he had missed any.

“We will graciously accept,” said Leonta. He arrived with his group, taking with him an additional six female warriors who flanked aside him. They wore clothing that was similar to those of a certain religion from where Ares was from. They were covered head to toe, with their faces covered so only their eyes were uncovered. Yet the way the cloths flowed around their bodies, they were rather femininely under their robes, though Ares quickly pulled his eyes away to be gentlemanly.

‘Keep it in your pants…’ he thought to himself.

As the food was cooked and they had sat down opposite one another in a circle, the other lionfolk around them had decided to take guard whilst some also began to cook food. Saykkera did not sit down, instead she was on guard to make sure none of them started anything.

For a long while Leonta had stared at the dragonwoman, his eyes filled with intrigue and hints of apprehension. Yet soon his eyes had started to wander around the camp. He continued to look around, though apparently didn’t find what he was looking for.

“Is there a problem?” Ares asked as he sipped on some warm milk that he had summoned for them to drink.

“I do not see the bodies of our dead, those that you killed,” Leonta said.

“I did not want to sleep with the dead around us, so I had moved them. I will return them to you when we’re done with our conversation.” Ares nodded his head.

He let out an awkward breath, trying to not break his gaze with the lionfolk leader. He couldn’t show a sign of weakness when it came to the other leader.

“You said you had wished to speak with me,” Leonta said.

“That’s right. I’ve come to ask you if you wanted to join Rivea.”

“What is Rivea?”

“Rivea is our Kingdom, our home.” Ares motioned his head to the others beside him. “It is a place where one doesn’t have to worry about getting hungry, about the lack of shelter, and about whether our sick or elderly will be taken care of, and whether we’ll find the lack of work.” Ares cringed at the last statement, but having some work brings hope into people’s lives so he had to stress such a statement.

“I am making a Kingdom where all are welcome regardless of their race, gender, or anything else. All Riveans are my family, and I will protect them as such. We are currently about ten thousand strong, but soon will grow to forty thousand.”

Leonta’s brows raised in surprise at such a statement, though there were doubt in their eyes. “This sounds like the Seven Horns.”

“Theirs was a tribe of seven equal groups of oxfolk, but mine is a single entity made up of a diverse group. Plus, some of them have already joined me.”

“The Horns have joined you?” Leonta raised his brow in surprise.

“Indeed. In fact, my soon to be Queen was once a Horn. Another Horn even dropped his position to join me along with his closest.” Ares motioned his head to Kask. “This is Kask, he was the oxenblut of the Horn, Torak.”

“Torak joined you?” Leonta had asked.

“You know Torak?”

“He and I met once, many years ago. Our succession from the Wild Tribes is in part thanks to him,” Leonta said.

“Well he joined to be one of my most prominent advisers. Kask and I went to face a Black Viper in order to help heal him. In fact, most of those you see here are those I have helped in some way. They decided by their own volition, even against my wishes…” Ares looked at Emerli. “They decided to come with me.”

“What of the dragonfolk?”

“Oh well, I fought with Peros at Dragon’s Spine and I made him hand over a couple of dragonfolk to me in order for me to forgive him for his sin.”

“Peros? The god?”

“That’s the one.”

“You mean to tell me you had faced a god and lived?”

“Yes. Ask Saykkera, she was once close with Peros.”

Leonta looked to the dragonfolk. “Even I can’t believe such a thing so quickly.”

“You don’t have to. I’ll give you some time to think about my offer. I intend to eventually conquer this entire island for Rivee’s sake.”

“Why are you so eager to help the mother serpent?”

“Rivee is my friend. They asked me to help them. That’s all there is to it.”

“So you would risk your life to help the mother serpent because they are your friend?” Leonta crossed his arms.

Ares looked into Leonta’s eyes. “Rivee was one of my very first friends. They have helped me a lot, almost everything I have now was because of them. More importantly, Rivee saved my Runar’s life. If Rivee asked me to slaughter every single one of you here, I would do it with a heavy heart, but I would do it.”

Leonta remained silent, though he nodded his head. “Very well,” he said. “I will think on your offer. What happens if we refuse?”

“I will let you go. I recommend you head West though, because I will be aiming to expand into this region soon.”

“I will not allow you to take our home away from us.”

“How many of there are you?”

“We are two thousand strong.”

“My army is much larger, and much more capable. I heard you earned this land by your might, but you will lose it because your lack of it.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No. I am giving you the chance of retaining your freedom for a little while longer. I will be expanding West from Dragon’s spine, and I’ll be aiming to gather every tribe and chiefdom under Rivea. If you resist, I will offer you a chance to leave. If you wish to fight, I will kill you all and then take the land. It is as simple as that.”

Leonta nodded and then finished his food. “I will speak with my people.”

Ares bowed his head as Leonta left them be. The conversation was over, the rest depended on Leonta’s answer in the future. Ares had returned the dead bodies to Leonta and his lionfolk, nodded at the lionfolk man and those he had captured, before then returning back to camp.

“I really hope I don’t have to kill him,” Ares said to his Storm Seven.