KING OF BEASTS (Hiatus)

The water crashed all against them as Ares and his company were swept away by the torrent of water. Yet the water did not seek to crush them, though it had alarmed the group. It swept them further in as Stah’O bolted through the water like an arrow, following the group as he used the torrent to guide himself as well.

 

The water wasn’t too cold or too hot, and it didn’t press on them like rocks trying to crush them, but rather as though they were a heavy set of clothes against their body. There are a swoosh of air before they were dropped down onto land. Unfortunately the water did make them and their gear wet.

 

Ares took off most of his clothes to strain them, but Stah’O had called for a small fire pit to be made so they could dry off with the flames. Ares looked around to see almost a mile of land ahead that was fairly flat with cube buildings that clustered together, sometimes even five cubes high. It was all the… same? Each building was exactly like one another, suffocatingly so.

 

Yet about a mile away he could see steps heading up, and towering over each building was another level of the city he couldn’t see properly from this angle, though he could see the buildings up ahead were far less utilitarian in nature, with pillars which had some design or another through them, ovals and windows that were a variety of different shapes.

 

Yet those weren’t all the buildings around the place. He looked around to see within the towering walls that surrounded them were thousands of holes, like nests.

 

“Tunnels,” Stah’O said. “They lead in for further living area to sleep at night. Only those that work remain outside. We sleep when the moon is up in respect of Rivee. We sleep in our homes and come out to work and socialise outside.”

 

“Oh…” Ares smiled. “No way. I was planning on doing the same with my own people, essentially for the same reason.”

 

“It has worked for our society for many years,” Stah’O said.

 

“There’s a wise saying from where I am from,” Ares said. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

 

Stah’O nodded his head, though slightly narrowed his eyes. “Please do join us, Ares’O, for some food.”

 

“Alright. As long as you don’t cook us up,” Ares said. He laughed at his stupid joke as Stah’O looked at him awkwardly.

 

Ares and his company were then brought towards the stair case that went to the second level. As he climbed the stairs he was greeted with another few miles of level ground that had hundreds, if not thousands of buildings that were far more varied. He couldn’t see a single building that was the same.

 

‘Damn… this place is awesome!’ Ares couldn’t help but think to himself. These Bitan did what he wanted to do. “I want you guys to remember this place. This is exactly what I had in mind for Rivea,” Ares said. He continued to examine everything. He was surprised that the Bitan were so close to his ideal society.

 

They continued to walk by the buildings until they approached a large open temple that was very similar to those of the dragonfolk. Ares was surprised to see the layout was almost identical. He threw a look to Saykkera who didn’t seem to be surprised.

 

In fact many of the Bitan had been giving her glances, though they all had been given glances as they walked by, but it was Saykkera that seemed to get most of the attention.

 

Ares and his company were sat on some cushions that were made of some jelly like substance and then offered some food and drink, what seemed to be wine and then salty fish scales with some cheese on top.

 

The fish scales didn’t taste of anything in particular, but the cheese was pretty decent, just the right amount of tanginess. As he chewed on the snacks they began to morph together to form a unique taste where a new flavour arose from the scales. It was salty and savoury, then with a hint of sweet right at the end. The wine was pretty good too, but when he sipped the water he was surprised.

 

It tasted clear, but there was definitely some mineral to it. He kept drinking the water, the thirstiest he had ever felt. After an entire litre of the water he relaxed his shoulders.

 

“Drink and eat as you please, Ares’O,” Stah’O said.

 

“Thank you so much, Stah’O. It’s all so delicious.” Ares looked at the cooked fish that was brought over to each of them before the space between them was then filled with small round flat bread as well as…

 

‘Is that curry?’ Ares stared at the food that was placed down in boat shaped vessels made of… something. Ares didn’t really care too much about what the bowls were made out of, but he could smell the familiar smells of curry.

 

Within the sea of brown-red liquid he could see small tan stones, red tomatoes peeked out from the liquid. Then within the base of onions, spice and herb were blocks of dark brown chunks of meat. The scent wafted to his nostrils and the spice caused him to tear up slightly.

 

“What is that?” Ares asked keenly.

 

“This is dophin,” Stah’O said. Stah’O then washed his hands inside a basin that had been brought over, along with a slimy liquid that soon disappeared in the water. He was poured in some food by a nearby Bitan as he reached for a piece of flat bread.

 

Ares almost drooled as he watched the fishman chief then break the bread apart and then scooped in some of the dophin into the bread before it all disappeared into his mouth.

 

A washbasin was brought to Ares, who quickly washed his hands before someone tried to pour in some of the food. Teorn grabbed the Bitan’s arm and then Ares sat up straighter as a few other Bitan then tensed up.

 

“No,” Teorn said. “I will.” He glared at the Bitan who let go of the ladle and then the large bear man poured out some food. “Here you are, my King,” he said before he sat back down.

 

“Thank you, Teorn,” Ares said. He turned to face Stah’O. “Sorry about that. It’s a custom.”

 

Stah’O raised a hand and nodded as the Bitan warriors that had been nearby then withdrew a few steps back.

 

Then Ares broke apart a piece of the flat bread. A head appeared beside him to watch as Emerli stared at the food. She had taken her place beside him as she usually did, and Saykkera sat passed her. Ares dipped a little bit of the bread in and then pinched the dophin meat between the bread before offering it to Emerli who looked at it intrigued.

 

She ate it from his fingers and then Ares broke some more before he saw Saykkera watching. Ares then fed her. He saw the others in his company were watching and he suddenly felt the heat come up to his cheeks. “Alright, enough messing around. Pour some food in and start eating yourself!”

 

Ares then finally scooped up some and then propped it into his mouth. It was spicy. The heat instantly caused his tongue to scream out and beg for him to stop, but that was soon accompanied by a cool sensation from the meat that he had never tasted before. It was tender and the juices flooded out to minimise the damage of the spice. His mouth watered as he chewed before he swallowed.

 

He closed his eyes shut tight. Old memories of going to his best friend’s house when he was a kid engulfed his mind. He reached up with the back of his hand to cover his eyes as he swallowed and then froze up.

 

“Are you alright, Ares’O?”

 

“Yeah. I just need a second,” Ares said. He blinked away the memories before he then looked out to Stah’O.

 

“The food is absolutely divine, thank you,” Ares said as he sniffled, partly due to the spice and partly due to the memories.

 

Stah’O bowed his head, though his facial expression did not change. It was then a younger Bitan appeared, wearing bits and pieces of armour, as well as a mail skirt. They too carried a bident. They were wanting for air as though they had rushed to Stah’O.

 

Ares heard bubbled and then the wooshing of water before Stah’O replied in the same manner.

 

Stah’O stood. “I must leave, Ares’O. I will return as quickly as I can, but allow my children to guide you and welcome you to our city.” He bowed his head apologetically but Ares nodded.

 

“Alright, see you then, Stah’O.”

 

With that the older Bitan was gone and a Bitan that he had travelled with took Stah’O’s place.

 

Ares awkwardly stared at them before he realised the only one that had spoken to him after all this time was Stah’O.

 

“I am Sta’O,” the Bitan bowed his head.

 

“It’s nice to meet you,” Ares said.

 

This was awkward.