Ares had taken the oxfolk around, marching them even quicker in order to dodge the gaze of the human soldiers. They approached the hilly area to one side between Sohka and themselves, the hilly area keeping them covered. They had moved as quickly as they could in order to round the corner before the human soldiers had arrived.

The humans were already marching towards Sohka’s flank. Ares turned back to look at the oxfolk. “All I want you to do is run as quickly as you can, as silently as you can, and then right before you strike I want you to let out a yell. If they catch you, roar as loudly as you can and I’ll be there, understood?”

The oxenblut nodded and once spoke out. “How do you wish for us to charge? How wide do you wish for us to be?”

Ares eyed them up. They didn’t have much time. “That’s easy enough. I want the oxenblut up front, then five rows of four. So oxenblut, then four behind each oxen blut, and four behind those, and on and on, understood?”

The oxenblut nodded once more and then Ares smiled. “Good. I’ll see you soon.” Ares said as he left the warriors, heading around the hilly area in order to flank around the enemy even further. The hilly area was quite long, and though it blocked the sight of the area he wanted to tackle, it was long enough that none of the enemy would bother trying to tackle it.

Ares bounded as quickly as he could, letting the oxenblut charge behind the enemy’s flank. Ares on the other hand rounded to the enemy’s backline to cause absolute havoc.

He entered the forest that was beside the hill and then sank further into it. Then he shifted into his phoenix form and soared into the sky, though he was almost immediately spotted. There were shouts and cried from the enemy soldiers, who pointed up towards him.

He then flew over towards them as they began to pile javelins over towards him, though they pierced through flame and air as he shifted his body into pure fire. He then dove downwards and shifted the earth around the soldiers, piling it over them. He didn’t need to kill any of them, just incapacitate them as quickly as he could.

Ares circled around as he sprayed dirt all over the human soldiers, managing to take out a large number of soldiers, or at least slowing them down. He continued to shower them in heavy dirt, pinning them to the ground and causing them to be trapped between trenches he had formed in the ground so they could not leave their spot without dropping down about two metres down. He made trenches ahead and behind them. He didn’t want them marching forward to Sohka, but he didn’t want them to retreat quite so easily.

It was then however he felt a sting at his side and he began falling, spinning down towards the ground. He crashed into a group of soldiers and spasmed for a moment before his body returned under his control. He splashed the soldiers with flames and then rent at them with his talons before hopping up into the air once more. However, a bolt of lightning shot towards him and he felt the sting pierce through his body once more and he fell to the ground, spasming in pain. He began to writhe and coughed up blood.

‘What is this? Shit, it hurts so much!’ He gasped for air as his vision blurred but he willed himself up once more. He then shifted into flames to try and heal himself, though it had taken great effort. He heard the whisper of death and he lunged aside, dodging the next bolt of lightning as he rolled into another group of soldiers. He kept them between him and whatever it was that was summoning these bolts of lightning. He saw the figure of death.

The damn human Commander with that shit eating grin on his face. Ares panted out as they reached out towards him from so far and then watched as the javelin at his side turned to lightning. Ares narrowed his eyes. ‘He wouldn’t shoot at hi-’ He could not finish such a thought as he rolled to one side, and the bolt of lightning shot out through several men, narrowly missing his face.

The men fell, instantly dead. Ares panted out in pain, but he forced himself up. The Commander did not reach for their remaining javelins, only three remained. Ares inhaled deeply and then leapt up into the air, ignoring the slashes and piercing of spears through his body, and then he flew over to the side. He kept an eye on the Commander as they exclaimed out.

“Watch and see, even gods flee at my very form!” He grinned wide and then raised his short sword. “Come men! Let us show these beasts their place!” The soldiers roared with delight and then began to march forward to strike. Ares heard bestial roaring as the oxfolk crashed into the other humans, who had been distracted by the Commander.

Ares flew over towards them and then shifted the earth to take them out from the fight as well, but found his body and mind were heavy. He couldn’t retain flying for long. He dropped and shifted the earth around him so he could take a moment to breathe. His lungs were filled with fear, his breaths came to him as though he was in labour.

“Damn…” He panted out. ‘Just what kind of nonsense is that? Javelins and lightning?’ Ares had realised that he had underestimated his opponents. Magic existed, this was something he knew about, how did he not realise that the enemy could use such magic. The Commander didn’t have many javelins remaining, but Ares didn’t know whether it was the javelins that were magical, or the Commander himself, or if there was a third item.

Ares continued to take a breather. He was cold. He had unconsciously reverted back to his human form. He stared down at his fingers, which he could barely see through the lack of light within his hole. “Alright, calm down…” He whispered and then focused on healing his wounds. It had taken him some effort, but he had managed to heal himself. He inhaled deeply and then shifted the earth around him once more before shooting into the air like an arrow, and then spread his wings wide. He then dove down towards the human soldiers and rent into them with his blade like talons, cutting into them as though they were paper. He grabbed onto a human’s head, cracked it like an egg and then tossed them aside, their body whipping against other humans.

That damn Commander had certainly riled them up, but he would show the humans the terror he could be. He opened his maw and then let out a screech of nightmares, his eyes staring down towards the human Commander. Then he barrelled through the humans before taking flight once more as the Commander grabbed onto their javelin, turning it to lightning.

‘I’ll take that lightning head on!’