Ares woke up in the morning to the sun already raising into the sky, his cloak wrapped around him. He threw a look to the village, where he saw Rori sitting down, sharpening his axe. Rori met his gaze and nodded, standing up and placing his axe away. He motioned his head towards the village.
Ares followed Rori in.
"Morning." He whispered, his voice coarse.
"Yeah, morning. You alright?"
"As much as I can be after beheading so many guys."
Yesterday had changed Ares forever. To kill prisoners was something he was morally opposed to, but he decided he needed to take the Mongol approach to war. He wanted to spread his name far and wide, so that at the mere mention of his name, he could avoid battles.
He could see that the bodies had all been burnt on the pyre, which was on the otherside of the village, and thankfully the smell was downwind. It seemed as though the beastfolk were digging a pit too.
"Ares, come in." Rori opened up the door to the elder's place.
They were laying down in bed, the blanket over them. Others gathered around the elder too, and there was a solemn mood.
"Come to me, Ares." Their voice was weak.
"Hey, what's going on?" He asked as he approached the elder. He looked down to see the elder was paler than before.
"I do not have much time. So I shall be as quick as I can. I do not approve of what you did, but I can understand why you did it. You are not the same as the other humans. Though you hold rage inside you, I can see that you are a good man. I have chosen Rori as my successor, but before I die, I have a request. Will you take my people West, beyond the mountains, and have them settle upon the Dragon's Spine? It is a dangerous place, but I'm sure you can traverse such a place."
"Are you dying?"
"I can no longer handle the pain that this world holds."
"I hope one day the world will be at peace. I'm sorry. I'll take your people to the Dragon's Spine."
The elder nodded, and then with a smile, he let out a long sigh, his last breath.
Ares clenched his fists, turned around, and then left the people to mourn. He took on a deep breath outside, trying to calm himself as the emotions flooded through his body.
Though they hadn't known each other long, Voshk was what he arrived to be. He was a man of the brightest ideals in the darkest of times. His light has been snuffed out, and he was partly to blame, he was certain of it.
His thoughts were quickly interrupted when he saw Rala, Rash and Mala.
He awkwardly walked over to them, glancing around to see the other beastfolk, who gave him a wide berth.
"Morning, how are you guys?"
Rash had hidden behind his mother, who was currently cooing at him in their language.
"We're fine, thank you. Rash, come." She said as the boy then peeked his head away from his mother. He mumbled a thank you, though sounded less like a cat, and more like an ant.
"Uh, you're welcome?"
"You have saved my family three times now. I don't think I could ever repay you."
"Well, as long as you don't hate me, I don't really mind."
"Hate you?"
"Yeah, like everyone else here."
"Not everyone here hates you… most are afraid."
"Afraid? Of m-" He stopped. "Oh right…" He cleared his throat. "I can't really blame them…" He sighed out and then rubbed his forehead. "Well, as long as you guys are okay, I don't mind so much… Where are Ash and Ala?"
"Ash is with Ala digging the pit."
"Is the pit for the bodies?"
She nodded her head. "Yes. It's best to bury them after burning them."
"Right… I suppose I should help them." He threw a look to Mala who had finished her food, and for once, wasn't glaring at him too harshly. He then looked back to Rash. "I'm glad you're okay, Rash. Make sure you rest up, alright?" Rash hid behind his mother again as Ares then left them be.
Mala followed him, but he tried to ignore her. He could feel her gaze pierce through him.
He saw the various beastfolk work on the pit, with a few children sitting about and watching the adults work.
Ash had seen Ares walking, so walked over to meet him halfway. "Good morning, are you feeling alright?" Ares asked.
"Yes, thank you. I'm glad to see you're feeling much better as well."
"Yeah, well, a good night's sleep always does that for me. I checked in on Rala and Rash, they seem to be doing alright, I'm glad about that."
"Yes, thank you again. I'm not sure how I can ever repay you."
"Don't worry about it so much. As long as you don't hate me, that's fine with me. I told Rala the same thing."
Ash nodded. "Have you come to help with the pit?"
"Yeah, thought it'd go faster if I'm here. I can probably do it much quicker than you guys."
"What do you mean?"
"If you get them to step aside, I can show you."
Ash nodded slowly as he then called out in their language. Another replied back, causing a couple of them to laugh, before Ash growled and then nodded to Ares.
Ares walked over. "How far down do you want it? How many, uh, how many of this sword." He brought the short sword out.
"Four more of those swords should do it." Called a man, he was definitely a dog beast folk considering his ears.
Ares then waved a hand over the pit, and then the dirt disappeared cleanly. He waved his hand once more and then made the piles of dirt nearby disappear too.
The beast folk murmured to one another, several of them throwing suspicious glances his way.
"Let me know when you want some of the earth back, I'll drop it right on top."
"I've been meaning to ask…"
"Don't." Ares smiled. Then he turned, almost walking into Mala. He stepped aside and then made his way back to the village, though could hear Mala following him. He stopped and turned to face her.
"Can I help you?"
Mala narrowed her eyes towards him and then pursed her lips. Then she spoke out.
"You mention that you attacked the humans because they hurt Rash. Why do you care so much about Rash?"
"It's part of my ideals. Those that hurt children are worse than scum."
Mala narrowed her eyes and then looked down. Ares waited for her to speak, and when she didn't he turned and left. His ears twitched as he heard a quiet thanks, and he smiled to himself.
Ares returned to Rori, who was standing outside the elder's hut. It seemed as though the atmosphere had become more somber, and there were several children crying, and a handful of the adults were openly grieving as well.
"We will dig a grave for the elder, and once we've burnt his body, we shall lay him within the earth. I must go and find some stone, will you come with me?"
"Sure." Ares nodded and the pair made their way out. Once they had left the village, Ares continued. "I'm sorry about Voshk."
"He was an old man, his time was soon." Rori replied back dryly.
"From what little I gathered, he was a great man."
"He was."
Ares grew silent, but the silence was broken by Rory.
"I hated him. I hated him for a long time when I was younger. He and my father were the chiefs of their respective tribes, and they constantly fought. My father and mother were killed during a raid from their tribe, and I was made the chief soon after. I was about to return the favour when the humans came. They slaughtered my tribe, almost every single one of us. A few of us scattered, no doubt some have found another tribe to join, or have perished already. Voshk managed to save several of us, and we fled here. That was almost a decade ago. He rapidly aged, and spouted out these ideals of peace with the humans. The others thought he'd had gone mad, but I know the truth. He was racked with guilt over what he had done to my village, weakening us over time, allowing the humans to slaughter us.
I hated him for a long time after, but when I saw him try to help the various tribes around him, indiscriminately and without hesitation…"
Rori turned to face Ares. The pair exchanged looks with one another.
"Ares. I called you a mad man, but I don't see any lies within your words. Are you truly aiming to help the beast folk against the humans?"
"Right now, my goal is to help the beastfolk against the humans. That goal will change, well, evolve into something else eventually. This is bit the first step."
"What is the first step?"
"I need to form a Kingdom."
"What kind of Kingdom are you forming?"
"A Kingdom that welcomes all, regardless of your race."
"You would accept all beast folk? Regardless of their nature."
"If they're willing to follow the rules as the others."
"Then… I'll stand beside you."
"Rori. I want to be clear with you. My kingdom will welcome all, regardless of race. Do you understand what that means?"
"... You'll accept all the beast folk and more?"
"What other races live on this continent?"
"Dwarves and elves."
Ares paused for a moment. "My kingdom will welcome beastfolk, dwarves, elves… and humans."
Rori winced. "Humans? You would invite humans too?"
"I will accept humans. That isn't to say I'll let the imperial army in and let them form a stronghold within the kingdom, but rather, the citizens that wish for a greater life, and hopefully everyone will become closer to one another once they all assimilate into the kingdom. The people of the kingdom won't be elves, dwarves, beastfolk or humans, they will all be citizens of my kingdom."
"What will your kingdom be called?"
"I'm… working on that." Ares chuckled.
"You really do plan to unite all the beastfolk?"
"Not just the beastfolk, the other races too. This entire land will be under a single banner, a single ethos and culture."
"It's impossible."
"Difficult. It will take a lot of blood shed. In fact, I don't think I'll be able to manage it."
"Why do you try?"
"If I don't do it, it will never happen. At least if I try, there's a chance. Though I'll need some dependable friends along the way to keep me on track."
Rori remained silent. Then he turned and continued along. Eventually he came across a stone. "We'll need to find a few more of these. It will take some time returning to the village and then coming back to find more."
"We don't need to head back to the village." He waved a hand and then the stone disappeared. "Let's find all the stone and then head back." Ares smiled.
"So you can send things away and then return them?"
"Something like that."
Rori nodded and the pair grabbed some more stones, Ares sending the stone away. Then they returned to the village. They were building the pyre, and so Ares went to go help with the food.
The hunters had returned with some deer, and were in the process of butchering.
Ares went to go get some water for them, storing quite a bit in his ring, before he then returned, pouring some in the pots.
Eventually the pyre was made and the elders body rested upon it.
"He who is recognised as chief, shall burn the pyre." Called out Rori. "Is there another who wishes to claim the title, for it was offered to me." Rori glanced around the crowd.
Ares called out. "What would such a thing entail."
Everyone shifted their focus to him, and he raised his brows in surprise. Shouldn't he have spoken?
"A trial of combat between all the contenders."
"Do you, stranger, wish to contend?" A wolf man laughed, the same one that had almost shot him all that time ago.
"If I did. Would you step up?" Ares asked. "I suppose I am not a member of the tribe, aren't you a lucky pup?"
The wolf man snarled. "You should bite your tongue."
"Make me." Ares narrowed his eyes.
"Enough." Rori turned to face Ares. "If you wish to contend, I shall back your claim."
Ares threw Rori a look of confusion.
"What madness do you speak?" A beast folk called out.
Then the large wolf man that had faced Rori earlier stepped forward. "I will stake my claim."
A tiger man then stepped forward. "I too, will stake my claim."
"I will, if the pup does." Ares said, his voice low yet even. His heart was pounding within his chest.
The wolf man remained silent.
"All bark and no bite, I see." Ares smirked.
"I will then!" The wolf man snarled and step forward.
"Very well. I shall give my right to Ares." Rori said.
The crowd erupted in hollering, some with complaints, others with statements that Rori had gone mad. Even Ares was taken aback.
Rori met Ares' gaze. Ares walked over to him.
"What are you doing? I was just going to teach the guy a lesson and then step out."
"I want to see it. The kingdom that you wish for. Show me." Rori said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"... Alright."
"As I have given my right, I shall burn the pyre at the bearer of flame!" Rori exclaimed, quietening everyone down.
No one spoke, and so he lit the torch and then used it to light the pyre in several places before placing it within the gaps.
It burnt slowly, and the smell clung to the air. The adults began to chant, warily, and the children that knew the rhythm, began to hum.
Ares, a stranger to it all, remained silent, watching the flames.