Ares awoke within the arms of comfort, the gentle warmth of a familiar form embracing him in the morning. He pressed his head into the bosom of safety and then rolled over on top of Lana. He opened his eyes to see that there was a third person in the tent, sitting at the flap with his arms crossed. "Wha-" Ares groaned as the pain finally caught up to him, as though he was being stabbed in the gut. He rolled over onto his back and clutched at his stomach, which was pounding for attention. "Ares," Lana whispered as she awoke and then embraced him tight, wrapping her arms around him. Ares grunted. He wanted to snuggle into Lana, but the guard nearby had caused him to pause. "Would you mind?" Ares asked, wanting the guard to leave. The guard remained. Lana wrapped herself around Ares, as though understanding what he wanted. Ares was pinned under her, gasping for air due to the sudden torrent of pain flooding through his gut. Lana quickly pulled aside and stared down at his stomach, which was throbbing. His powers were completely focused on trying to keep him in one piece and Ares seemingly seemed oblivious to a few certain elements of what was exactly going on. Ares turned to look at the guard. "Leave us," he commanded. Lana nodded her head. "Wait outside." The guard bowed his head and then slipped outside. Ares wasn't sure how to feel about another guy being in the same tent as them, and he especially didn't want them to see how he behaved with his wife. However, with the guard now outside, Ares could finally wince and show some pain. Of course his pride was wounded that Lana could see the pain, but she had seen much worse. He looked up to catch her eyes, about to speak when he noted the bruises against her neck. First anger flared through his eyes, before his body flushed with shame. "Are you okay?" He asked as he reached up and brushed his fingers along those dark bruises. "I am fine, but what of you?" She replied as she took his hand within hers, resting her cheek against the back of the hand she kept pinned to her. "Everything hurts." "What happened?" "There were some unforeseen circumstances," Ares replied as he winced at the memory. He recalled Ezak, seconds away from meeting death. He looked down to see that he had a stomach, though it was now black as though someone had thrown soot against him. "What unforeseen circumstances?" Lana asked. "A foe we didn't know was a foe. They had attacked so quickly and…" "And?" "I had to take the blow so everyone could run." "You're such a fool." Lana held onto his hand tight, not allowing him to let go. She glared down at him, both with anger and sorrow. Ares looked away, unable to meet her gaze any longer. "I did what I had to do. I won't regret it, but I'm sorry for worrying you. I-" Ares paused for a moment. "My dream," he said quietly as he tried to recall his dreams. "No not a dream. A vision." Ares tried to sit up but the pain was too much, as though he had been stabbed once more in his gut, and so he dropped back onto his back gasping for air. "I had a vision, Lana, a vision. There was a god, another god, I don't know who or what, but he'd come and he tried to destroy Rivea. He told me, he said, he would come for Rivea, and…" "And?" Lana urged him to continue. "And what?" "He said he'd come for you, for my children, he'd slaughter every single one of us." "Who was it?" "I don't know… I remember golden light shining out, not like Perks, but actual gold, like it was melted and sprayed out from darkness. You came and you attacked him to save me, but he was choking…" Ares looked up into her eyes. "He was choking you." Ares looked away once more. "That's when I came to and saw you all…" Ares tried to recall more, but right now he was too exhausted. His body felt as though he had been made of lead and whatever muscles he had gained throughout training had left him. He tried to sit up once more so he could assess himself, but he could barely see much. He glanced at his arm and noted it was thinner than before, about as thin as when he had first arrived. His was muscular, yes, but it wasn't quite as pronounced as when he had left Rivea. Lana brushed a hand through his hair and then pulled his head to her bosom. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, letting him bask in her embrace for a long moment to rest. Ares sank against her and let her spoil him for a long while, not saying anything as she began to hum something to him. He recognised the tune as the one that she would often hum to the children to get them to sleep. Ares let her finish before he tried to pull his head away and then looked up at her. “I won’t let them hurt you.” “I know,” she replied with a smile. “You’re too stupid to die.” “At least we agree.” Ares and Lana spent some more time together relaxing before he finally felt the shakes within his legs, begging him to stand and walk, for he hadn’t done so in a long while. He had business to attend to, though he’d have to pretend that he just wanted to go for a walk. Lana helped Ares up, which caused him to cringe. How could he let her see him in such a state. If it wasn’t his life, perhaps his pride would help him refrain from becoming so useless. Ares stepped out of the tent and pulled away from the searing light of the late morning, bringing an arm up to hide his eyes. Each ray of light was like the blade of Peros, piercing deep against his skin and causing him great pain. It required a moment before Ares managed to gather himself, keeping his eyes glued towards the ground as he stepped forward. “Good morning,” Ares said to a pair of guards stationed outside who saluted him in return. Ares looked out to Rivea, the sweet Rivea he had longed to return. He could see the people, moving and bustling with life, the soldiers nearby, Rori and the others who were speaking with one another not yet having noticed him, and then of course his children who were stomping their way around and slapping various stones as though checking their quality, with guards in tow. Ares stumbled forward, his legs still weak. He didn’t want anyone else to see him in such a way and so summoned a spear, shifting away its head so it was merely a staff. He used it as a cane as he approached Rori and the others who were in charge of their little regions. “Morning,” Ares called out as they noticed him, standing to pay their respects. “Ares-kin, it’s good to see you are well,” Oshgan bowed his head towards his King. Ansha was there as well, saluting Ares first before then bowing her head. “We have been praying for your good health.” “Well I thank you all for that,” Ares said as he bowed his head and greeted the others too. “I apologise for worrying you, though I’m sure you’re all used to such a thing. I hope there were no rebellions whilst I was gone,” Ares said as his eyes scanned Rivea. He noticed there were a handful of buffalofolk and rhinofolk all about the area, just a handful here and there. “No rebellions,” Rori replied. “Everything has been going smoothly. We have received a large influx of potential Riveans that you had sent our way, the rhinofolk and the buffalofolk.” Ares nodded his head. “Good, good… they seemed rather eager to join… what of Heria and Saykkera, did they return easily?” “They did,” Rori nodded his head. “Saykkera wished to return to your side, and Heria as well, though we had decided against such a matter, regrettably so.” Rori’s eyes peered down towards Ares’ stomach, which had grown black like ash since being wounded by the giant bolt. “Well,” Ares shrugged his shoulders, restraining a hiss of pain from passing his lips, “I should be glad. The pair of children, the rhinofolk, are they well?” “They are,” Rori nodded his head. “We have returned them to the rhinofolk that had arrived, though it seemed as though their parents had since passed from this world.” Ares frowned. That was a deep shame, though it wasn’t unexpected. “As long as they are good and healthy. How are they, the rhinofolk and buffalofolk, are they working well?” “They are working well. We have also begun assimilating a few other tribes that have made their way here from nearby, many of them have heard the tales of Rivea and it seemed the humans are currently causing a mass migration of the beastfolk near their lands.” “A mass migration, or are they hunting beastfolk and they are running?” “Both, it seems. We have sent some scouts further out and have been discussing a second wall for the base of the spine.” Ares raised his brows in surprise. “What discussion have you had?” “We have established that it is needed, but we have yet to choose where the wall should start, and how many we should have working to build it.” “Those are good questions. Perhaps we should set a unit of a hundred soldiers, as well as many of the soon to be Riveans, that could be part of their initiation. Have you begun teaching them of our rules?” Rori bowed his head. “A little,” he said as he turned to face the other Legates. “We were hoping for you to return though, so we did not teach them something you would be against.” “Makes sense,” Ares said with a chuckle. “That’s why you’re the Consul. I still trust you though, you’ll be here long after I will be.” Ares laughed as Lana struck him across the back of his head. He winced and almost fell forward, but managed to catch himself onto his staff. “Let us hope that is not that case,” Rori said as his eyes fell to Lana, who was definitely in thought about whether she should slap Ares again. “Don’t worry,” Ares said, “I’m too stupid to die.” Ares winked at Lana.