Once again Lana was glaring daggers at Ares, but luckily she was behind him, still holding his waist with an arm as the oxen carried him over to the nearby fort.

It hadn’t taken long to get the oxen ready, they had apparently been ready due to the last time and three oxen were kept at the ready for Ares, who still hadn’t begun training with the wolf due to his fever.

“If you move too much and feel faint, tell me.” Lana said as she leaned in to rest her chin atop his head. “Otherwise I will have to beat some sense into you.”

“Well I’m not sure how to take that…”

“You’ll take it happily.”

“Not quite what I meant.” Ares chuckled as they travelled along the straight path.

Ares had worried what the issue was this time. Perhaps the refugees needed some help? Did they come into a scuffle with the locals? Did part of the fort collapse? Did an army appear at his border? There were far too many things that could have gone wrong, and far too little that could have gone right.

Ares sighed and then shook his head. ‘No need to think about it…’ He supposed, after all he would be worrying about too many things that probably didn’t occur, what was the point?

A Squad of wolffolk, part of the Flaming Wolves, had appeared on the horizon and were rushing towards him. A few of them slowed down and those at the front sped up.

The one who led them was Hemwa, who had decided to stay with his cousin Heria as her Major. Ares threw a look back to Ark, who was his own Major, and then back to Hemwa.

Hemwa eventually slowed down on his wolf, many metres ahead of his own Squad. He half saluted Ares, whilst his wolf stamped on the ground. Ares smiled, he hadn’t seen that before, but then the other wolffolk also did so behind him, with their wolves completing the second half.

‘How cool!’ Ares couldn’t help but think, chuckling lightly before stopping him.

“Major Hemwa, it’s good to see you. I wasn’t expecting you…”

“Major Heria sent me with news of why we called for you.”

“Aaah!” Ares nodded his head for Hemwa to continue.

“There is a large group of humans headed this way, Heria, Major Heria has gone to meet with them, but has sent me to speak with you.”

Ares rubbed the side of his neck. He said sent half of his Flying Wolves up ahead already, but he nodded.

“Alright. I’ll send a Captain on ahead to fill in the gap your Squad has left, come and join me. Ah, no, I’ll send Ark.” Ares motioned his head to Ark who bowed his head and then growled out a few words before heading off with his group.

“Did it look dangerous?” Ares asked as Lana put some pressure on his stomach.

“There aren’t too many of them. Perhaps the size of a Company or so…”

“About two or three hundred?” Ares raised his brow. That didn’t sound like a lot, was it a scouting force? “So you saw them when? Could you tell me all you know?”

“We saw them at late morning. We sent a Squad to scout on ahead, and they returned to tell us they were humans. Heria, Major Heria… then ordered for you to be called and then she sent me up ahead with such a message. I saw the size of them, and they had been travelling quite slowly towards us. The scout said that they were heavily armoured, and with them were a few carts. They were the dark skinned humans.”

“Dark skinned humans?” Ares asked in surprise. “I see… I see, I see…” Ares said. “Are they not native to the same lands as the other humans?”

“In a sense. They come from another area entirely, though the land is connected.”

“I see… do you know how it’s connected?”

Hemwa bowed his head. “I am sorry, I do not.”

“Not a thing you need to be sorry about, your information has been valuable… did they have any markings to denote them?”

“No, they were dressed in dark cloths and their armour was… made of scales.” He said, trying to recall.

“I see, I see… thank you.” Ares nodded. “I perhaps know a little more about the situation, though I’m not sure if I’m right… perhaps they have come seeking aid.” Ares said aloud, or perhaps… they had come to declare war in quite a noble fashion… or they were a scouting force for the main army… or a diversion.

Ares sighed. Again, too many things to really worry about. He sighed again and then Lana rubbed the top of his head.

They finally approached the watchtower, the soldiers saluting him as Ares threw a casual salute back, before then hopping off of his oxen, with much of Lana’s help and then grabbed his staff. “Situation report?” Ares asked as he glanced passed the tower, looking to see the humans had closed in a little, though were still waiting around. A small camp had been made, though only with the barest of essentials.

Heria and her own small unit, her Squad, had been lazing around ahead of the soldiers and Ares sighed. Seriously, that woman…

Ares then made his way down to the fort and then realised that the humans could have perhaps noticed his system of message delivery. Perhaps he’d have to change it to make it more subtle so the humans didn’t figure out what he was doing… well, it was a little too late right now for such a thing.

Ares walked beyond the large flaps that were used as a door for the fort, though he really should get that fixed… that was a pretty awful design flaw…

Heria whistled to him to catch his attention and then Ares made his way to the woman.

“Heria.”

“Ares.”

“So…”

“So…”

“The situation?”

“It’s going well.”

Ares stared at Heria and then she grinned. “They have come to speak with you.”

“With me?” Ares asked, standing up a little taller. “About?”

“Something about how they have heard tales about Rivea. They are like the other two brats you took in.”

“Refugees?” Ares asked as he looked over to the heavily armed warriors. “Right…” Then he walked on ahead, his Squad following beside him, and Lana right behind as he stepped forward.

The humans up ahead, who were indeed quite dark skinned as some wore open faced helmets, also shifted. About fifty of them moved up ahead, though some dropped back a little and then stopped, so there was roughly an equal amount of them that stepped forward.

One of them had dismounted and left his horse behind, walking forward. He wore heavy armour, scale mail of some kind, with a heavy helmet that covered him so Ares could barely see those green eyes. He had at his side an axe, a blade, and a shield with a chunk out of it.

“You are King Ahreez?” The figure asked in a deep voice, their accent quite thick. They said each syllable specifically.

“Indeed I am, King Ares, Master of Waters, Kin of all Riveans. Who do I owe the pleasure of talking to?”

The figure them unlatched parts of his helmet and then took it off to reveal a quite young face, barely eighteen Ares would have guessed.

“I am King Abdan, I have come for help.”

‘Another King?’ Ares thought, surprised.

“What kind of help are you looking for?” Ares asked, narrowing his eyes.

“My Kingdom has fallen.”