KING OF BEASTS (Hiatus)

Rori had appeared not soon after, no doubt such a call to action from Ares was important. He arrived with his White Cloaks in tow, but also a certain Orndu and Orazuta, who probably had the ability to sniff the trouble in the air. Ares was about to greet them when he also noted Lana and Runar, and then Emerli behind the pair, and even more White Cloaks.

Everyone was here.

Ares glanced at them all a little awkwardly. He stood up and greeted Rori, though his eyes fell to Lana and Emerli.

“It’s good to see you,” he said as he then caught Rori’s gaze.

“You as well, Ares-kin.” Rori looked out to the tigerman and the dogman. “I see there is a small issue.”

“A small issue,” Ares said with a nod, “but an issue I wanted to inform you of. I would like to spar with them to avoid any trouble.”

“You are injured still,” Lana said. “Can this wait until you are healed?”

“I would prefer to deal with the matter quickly,” Ares replied. “I want there to be no thoughts of rebellion or revolution when I leave, for I plan to take Heria with me, and it seems that they have taken to her.” Ares threw a quick look to Rori, who glanced at Heria for a moment and then looked at the pair.

“I can’t allow you to face the pair of them alone,” Rori said as he then bowed his head to Ares. “I will acknowledge the spar, as long as it is two and two.”

“That’s fine,” Ares said. “I’ll ask…” Ares looked at Orndu and Orazuta, who had mostly healed, but still weren’t quite up to their full power. Then again, he could bring someone weak to make it a one against two, though allowing Rori to save face.

“Me,” Rori said. “I accept.”

Ares’ brows shot up as though they were heading to the moon. Even Lana had been disarmed by a statement, though Heria snickered.

“You?” Ares asked.

“Does it displease you?” Rori asked.

Ares smiled. “No, it doesn’t. It’s good to fight by your side.”

“Is that fine?” Rori asked the pair. “I am the Consul, I am not one to fight.” Rori was also a giant bear of a bearman, with thick muscles and a powerful physique.

“Two and two,” Tankt said. “It will be so.”

“I’ll officiate!” Heria said as she clapped her hands. “We will allow whatever powers and weapons,” she said as she motioned with her hands and people began to move to give the five a large berth, allowing them to fight in a large arena.

Rori motioned a hand to Ares and leaned in to whisper. “I will begin,” he said.

Ares cocked his head aside, a little confused. “Begin?”

“Allow me to begin the bout. If I appear to be in trouble, I would hope you assist me.”

Ares smiled. “Sure,” he said, rather giddy that Rori trusted him so.

The soldiers on the wall looked over, even the migrants had appeared from their tent town to look at them. A good fight was always a good sight.

Heria circled around the four on her wolf, humming something before she raised her hands up into the air. “No killing, but I won’t really do anything if any of you do. Try not to die?” she said, not entirely certain of what the rules of the duel should be. She thought for a long moment as she continued to bounce on her bounding wolf.

“Fight!” she exclaimed with utter joy, throwing her hands into the air.

“Afoo!” Runar exclaimed and threw her hands out into the air.

Ares glanced back to see her cheer him on and he smiled. He noted the three of the other fighters move, and so readied himself to fight.

Rori was holding one of them up by the neck, choking them out, and had stomped the dogman into the ground with his heavy boot. The other pair had gone feral, yet Rori was still himself, mostly. He continued to choke Tankt out, who tried to say something before he fell limp and Rori tossed him aside. Rori then let the dogman go, who tried to leap up towards the bearman. Rori stepped aside and then grabbed the man by his waist and suplexed the dogman over his back, slamming him into the ground. Ares was certain he had taught Rori that move.

Rori stood, clasping his hands together as he then turned to look at Ares. “It seems I was quite fine on my own.” Rori then walked out as Heria clapped her hands.

“The winners are the King and the Consul! Who would have expected such an obvious answer?” she asked.

Runar continued to throw her fists in the air, cheering them on, not yet understanding the fight was over. Ares looked at Lana and then back to the Consul, who was heading back to the capital.

“Well damn,” Ares said. “He’s a lot stronger than I thought he was.”

Lana walked to Ares. “Are you done?” she asked.

“I think I need to check up on the two and have them swear their fealty or whatever and then I should be done…”

“I meant, are you done being an idiot?”

Ares looked at her, scoffing. “I’m offended that you think I’d ever be done with that.”

The pair remained outside, sharing some bread with one another. The thousands of others remained outside the walls of Rivea, creating another tent city. Ares called for Heria and a few others.

“I’d like for each of you to count how many people are outside the walls, all the new migrants and those people,” Ares said to a few of them. “Heria, I’d like you to pick someone to do a headcount of all the soldiers. Orndu, count all the White Cloaks, including yourself. Someone send a message to Rori to have him pick someone to count all those in Rivea proper, and then I’ll let whoever is currently in charge of overseeing the fort count all those in the fort and the tent town already formed too. I expect it to be done by the end of tomorrow, so please inform me of all these numbers by then.”

They all left, leaving Ares, his wife and children, as well as a few of the White Cloaks and soldiers. The Reptai had also appeared, though they were just on guard it seemed.

“Did you know Rori was that strong?” he asked.

“He has been training everyday, just like your soldiers, but with far more vigor. Your soldiers are quite strong too.”

“Damn,” he said. “He didn’t even need to go feral, the mad man.”

“He did go feral,” Lana said. “It was just for the first moment of the fight, and after created the pace, he no longer needed it. Rori is the kind of man that is three steps ahead by the time you take the first step.”

“I’m like that too,” Ares said with a frown. “It just doesn’t work out for me…”

Finally Tankt and Rojer awoke. They had been left alone, with a couple of guards to look out for them in case they died. The pair looked about, confused.

“To the King, come on,” a soldier said.

The pair approached and Ares smiled at them. “Some bread?” he asked.

“To send your lapdop again-” Tankt could not finish his statement, however, for he had been dropped into a pit and then covered over by earth in an instant.

Ares looked to Rojer. “Do you have anything smart to say?”

“No,” Rojer said, shaking his head. “I have heard of the Consul from Uf’Heria. I can only assume you are stronger.” The dogman looked at the earth and then back up at Ares. “I will follow you.”

“Good.” Ares motioned with a hand to dismiss the dogman before then unearthing Tankt and looking down over the pit. “Are you ready to follow me? Or should I bury you for a little while?”

“What magics are these?!”

“These are my magics,” Ares said. “I have a few more tricks up my sleeve.” Ares waved a hand and shot arrows around the tigerman. “Want to see some more? I can aim at you this time.”

Tankt remained silent for a long while. “No, I have seen enough. You are as powerful as they say, even as a cripple.”

“Did you know that I’m a phoenix?”

“I have heard such a statement.”

“I’ll show you once I’m healed,” Ares said as he then began to fill in the earth. “Come on.”

Tankt was eventually free from the hole. He looked up at Ares, a suspicious look in his one eye.

“If you act up again, I will be forced to kill you. Not by anyone in particular, but just because I can’t let people know that I’ll let any random stranger walk over me. You aren’t my wife.”