The War of Ares (manxman) (boxyboy)

Chapter One - My mom had been a wise woman

  Koa.

  My mom used to tell me stories about the two kings, King Andrus and King Augustus.

  Her love for the stories of the two kings was handed down to me. I always enjoyed listening to them. She used to look so happy talking about the two men who ruled a united Ares where war wasn’t common and fighting was limited to those who murdered our fellow man. Those stories were some of my fondest memories of her. And they were memories I carried with me for years.

  As I walked through the overgrown forest, I started to realize how much I missed her. Tired and hungry, I was close to stopping to find some food. The sun was beating down on top of me. The warm midday sun was brutal. But I continued to walk because as much as I hated to admit it, I wasn’t safe.

  I should have expected Ambrose to turn against me. He had shown his disdain for me many times in the past. Even as a child, he seemed to have a strangely passionate hatred for me. And because our father, a man I used to look up to, never intervened, his hatred grew and he had finally acted on it. The sad thing was I didn’t even want to be king. I would have happily stood aside and allowed him to take the throne.

  The day was still young when I found a small little village. Very few people stood around the small huts made for purchasing goods. It was like this now. Our great country cowered in fear because of the people who ruled it. Many never dared leave their houses because of the fear they would break the law and would be executed was greater than their desire to leave their houses. I didn’t blame them for it. In their situation, I realized, I would have felt the same way.

  There were no children playing in the street, no laughter from the people standing around. The few who did stay on the streets looked anxious, afraid, and even a little depressed. Watching them, I felt a little depressed myself. It was hard not to when people were so repressed in everything that they did.

  As I watched I easily identified the warriors, looking inconspicuous, standing guard to make sure no one stepped out of line. The tree’s kept me hidden, so I stood there and watched for a while. Taking note of everything they did. I noticed how often they snapped at the passers-by. I knew that was something I would change, but first I would have to find a way to stop Ambrose and Lucifer. They were the ones ruining Ares now.

  Once there was a person free moment, I ran across the open land, over to the small hut and took some of the food. I left a small piece of cloth on the table top as payment. I needed to eat and if this was the only way, I would do it. I paid for it after all.

  For a while I just sat on a rock and ate. There wasn’t much to do at the moment. I was thinking of what I needed to do. There weren’t many people I trusted in the world. Well, actually, there was only one person I trusted. But I couldn’t risk him getting into trouble. I knew I had to leave him out of this. It was hard to have nobody, but it was the safest thing.

  I made my way east across the woodland. Though most people wouldn’t have known where to go, I did. My mom had been a wise woman. She thought me what I needed to know about our country, and she prepared me for the day the people would destroy it. Today wasn’t that day, but it wasn’t too far off either. Many people didn’t even realize this. I did. I knew only too well how the rulers were destroying our world.

  I found it hard to move freely after a while. I passed several warriors on the way and not all of them southern. That worried me. People thought I was dead. I had heard the rumours before I left. Yet there were warriors out here, obviously looking for something or someone, and I had no idea why. I managed to avoid them all albeit with difficulty. And I stayed on my path.