The tension in the air could not be cut with a knife, for the knife would have been unable to be drawn through how heavy it was. This was the kind of tension that clung to the beings, and yet it seemed the only ones that could potentially move were the dragonfolk, the god, and the not human.

Ares broke the silence with a low sigh and then he said. “Don’t stop.” With that the six dragonfolk were upon the chief. It seemed they didn’t think the others were a threat, they were only lowly wolves and oxen after all.

Ares raised a finger and then the earth ahead of him shifted up, and as the dragonfolk crashed against the earth, he was already above them. He brought a heel down one’s skull, who narrowly dodged and stepped aside.

Yet the dragonfolk had made their first mistake. The wolf folk had already moved to their position, and so had the oxfolk.They had surrounded the dragonfolk whilst they had moved to attack Ares, and their arrows let loose whilst several blades and spears came at them from all sides.

Ares dropped down between the dragonfolk and Peros as the civilian group ran around towards him as the dragonfolk were pinned. As the group made their way to their chief, a voice called out from behind.

“Don’t look back.” It was Inta.

Yet even with those words, Ares was curious. He had turned to see that the dragonfolk had gone completely feral, and seemed to be like miniature dragons, yet they possessed such strength. Even now Inta was caught by one and looked to be in great pain, yet forced his blade through, with the help of Ampa, though the dragonfolk did not look to slow down their assault.

‘Oh shit. They’re fucked.’ Ares had thought. It was in that thought that a shudder ran through his body.

“Didn’t he say to not look back?” Peros whispered into his ear.

The next moment Ares was surrounded by rocks, the wind had left his lungs through sheer surprise. He gasped for air to see he was ten metres away from where he once stood, Peros walking towards Lana with their arms behind their back, holding onto their wrist.

What had happened? He hadn’t even blinked and yet he was crashed into the rocks. He looked down to see that the side of his body was heavily bruised and he was curved to one side like a banana. His ribs had shattered, yet he forced them to click together.

Lana had gone feral and was upon Peros, alongside Orndu who was midswing with his maul. Peros took the hit head on to his side, yet the god didn’t even flinch. Then Peros aimed a kick at Orndu, snapping his head with a sickening crack as it shifted into a way that was not possible, before the older man crumpled onto the ground.

It was then Peros smiled towards Lana before taking the maul he had caught from Orndu and then slammed it against her fist as she punched up, but there was another sickening crunch, yet Lana’s fist didn’t crumple as she met the maul. Her face was contorted in a mixture of pain and rage.

Ares watched as Orndu fell onto the floor lifeless and he was overwhelmed by the sight before him. He had been taken out of the fight so quickly, and then Orndu fell for the price of his arrogance. Why hadn’t he taken the threat of a god so seriously? Did he really not think about it further than his arrogance allowed?

Lana’s grunt brought him back to his senses. “Forward!” She had managed out to the others as she grabbed onto the god and had locked her arms around Peros, her leg trying to wrap around the god’s. Yet Peros grabbed onto her head and then slammed it to the ground, causing her to gasp for air. The earth beneath cracked and shook before Peros picked her up and then slammed her down again. After the second strike, Lana was no longer in her feral form, and Peros went to slam her down again.

It was then a torrent of water struck the pair of them, and then the earth around the area began to shift, rocks falling from the very heavens around the area. The small group had managed to pass the pillars before rocks blocked their path. Water shot up from everyone else as the wolffolk and oxfolk warriors were shot passed the rocks.

“Do you intend to flee so cowardly?” Peros asked as he stood up, his body soaking wet. The other dragonfolk had stood up as well, and Ares remained ahead of them, his back to the wall of rocks that had blocked him off from his allies.

“No.” Ares replied back. “I’m letting my people run, they’ve come to complete a single task, and that was to heal my daughter.” He said as he stood up and then rubbed his side, which he had been healing this entire time. “You’re going to let them go.” Then he cracked his neck. “In exchange, I won’t run.” Ares glared at the god.

Peros waited for a few seconds. Then he smiled, a smile so pure you’d have thought he was a child. “Very well. I can see your resolve.”

“Tch, you sure did a number on me with that kick though.”

Peros smiled in return. “I didn’t expect you to recover so quickly, I had yet to see you display your powers, so I assumed you weren’t able to use them.”

“No. I just didn’t want to embarrass myself in front o-” Ares grabbed onto Peros’ ankle as it came to his side once more. “Someone’s rather impatient.”

“I am not one to talk.” Peros said as simply as he could before he then reached forward with his hand, yet all he met was flames as Ares darted his head forward, his beak slamming across Peros’ shoulder.

“Good.” Ares said as he then pulled back and head butt the god, the ground beneath them shaking wildly as he did so, yet Peros did not falter this entire time. “I’m not expecting anything useful coming from a trust fund brat.” Then Ares shifted into his phoenix form entirely, spinning and bringing down his talons across Peros’ face, though this time the god ducked, their eyes wide in elation.

There was a gasp from the dragonfolk, who had almost leapt forward to help, yet now waited as Ares back flipped away from the god to give him some room to think, landing down in his human form.

“So, you cannot hold onto the form for too long.” Peros pondered.

Ares grinned at the god. “Oh? I just prefer fighting like this is all.” He said, though he had already revealed his trump cards. ‘This is gonna suck.’