Chapter 10: Primobelli
Sitting atop a snow-capped mountain showcasing his best thinkers pose was none other the Little Prince himself, Ares.
It's been weeks since Ares left Thanatos and unfortunately Ares has yet to come across anything resembling this so called, "sacred" forest. He's been heading north-east as Praeco suggested but alas he still hasn't seen such a forest.
Praeco keeps apologizing but Ares always reaffirms that he isn't upset in the slightest. It's the opposite in fact; Ares is ecstatic at the prospect of having his very own adventure with his first subordinate!
Standing from his stoop and stretching his mighty frame with his arms toward the sky, Ares relaxed his right arm and kept his left out, apparently waiting for something. Not much longer after Ares did so, the flapping of wings could be heard.
Slowing her descent, Praeco flew towards Ares' outstretched arm and perched herself on it. "Master, I have returned." Praeco said bowing her beak, her once cold voice thawing.
Over the past few weeks, since Ares and Praeco only had each other as company, he would often tell her stories about Olympus and in turn she would tell him about her life in her mothers domain and working with her brother.
At first Praeco treated their relationship amicably but overtime, at Ares' behest and persistence, she slowly opened up more. Instead of Master and servant, as of right now, their relationship could be classed as step siblings.
"Indeed. Please tell me you me found something I can fight. I'm itching for an opponent. Are you sure you don't want to spar again?" Ares asked Praeco, who had moved to his head while he was talking. Ares didn't mind as he knew it to be her favorite spot. Although she had a human form, her crow form allows her to be closer to her master. She wouldn't say it out loud but she loves the feeling of her master's hair and the feeling of warmth he provides.
"Master… it would be futile for me to spar against you individually. With my sisters I might be able to put up a challenge but individually, like I said before, it's futile." Praeco cooed while snuggling deeper into her master's hair. 'This feels amazing!' She thought to herself. "But yes, I did find something rather intriguing that might peak master's interests." Praeco continued. "Hmm? And…" Ares voiced with excitement.
"It's a boar master."
"A boar?" Ares couldn't help but show his discontent, the excitement in his voice now gone. "And here I thought you found one of Gaia's offspring." He continued sarcastically.
He doesn't really know where he is in this whole mythological timeline but he knows that Typhon hasn't been born yet. If he was, Ares would surely be called back to Olympus. And for some reason Ares wasn't sacred of that outcome. He wanted to fight Typhon! In the original myths, Typhon ended up defeating Zeus who was left alone by the other Gods, only Athena following him into battle. Typhon then chained Zeus to a pillar in Tartarus and Typhon's wife, Echidna, was tasked with watching over Zeus's tendons, the things responsible for his defeat.
Ares wants to change that. He doesn't know what happened to the original Ares during that whole encounter since nothing is stated is on his involvement in the fight, only Athena and Zeus. There are some stories of the original Ares fighting Typhon but Ares isn't really too sure if they actually happened. Just the thought of going up against such a monster makes Ares' heart beat faster. Forget Zeus and Athena! He doesn't know how long he has before Typhon comes. But when he does, Ares will surely be ready.
Coming out of his thoughts Ares asked his crow companion a question, "What did the boar look like?" Sitting upright, Praeco began to speak, "The boar was quite big master. Its length was maybe five feet and it stood on its four legs at a height of seven. It had shaggy black hair all across its body and had two black tusks and horns. Its two tusks were curled upward from the top of its mouth ending in a sharp point just in front of its snout while its horns were on either side of its head protruding outwards just above its red, pupilless eyes."
Ares couldn't contain his excitement. 'A horse sized boar?!' He thought, his smile threatning to split his face. "Where is it? What was it doing? Was he fighting?! How strong was it?!" With each sentence his voice grew. And with his voice, so to did his aura.
The once snow-capped mountain was no more. His aura shook the mountain causing a mighty avalanche to ensue. Not only did the mountain shake, but the surrounding area as well. The ground quacked and in the forest below trees were uprooted. Animals in the forest had no where to go and were crushed under debris and flying rocks that cracked from the Earth. Ares quickly reigned in his excitement. He didn't want anyone interrupting his fun time now. But if they did come he would fight them. He's in a good mood right now. He willing to play.
"Which question would you like me to answer first?" Praeco asked sarcastically. Ares knew if she was in her human form she would be giving him a deadpanned look. Actually he would kind of like to see that. She practically always stays in her crow form saying it's more comfortable. He wouldn't mind having her around in that form. Ignoring Praeco's remark, Ares answered, "Where is it? Where's this boar you speak of?"
"Because I knew you were going to want to entertain yourself with this beast I decided to keep an eye on it. It's not far. If we leave now we could make it there by sunrise. Don't worry master, Praeco will guide you." She said proudly, her feathered chest puffed out.
"What was that?" Ares asked dumbfounded ? 'Why is she talking in third person?' "What was what?" Praeco asked, sounding genuinely oblivious to to what had just happened. "Nothing." Ares sighed and began going in the direction of hopefully, the end to his boredom.
——
Arriving before the entrance of a den made out of a mixture of bones and foliage, Ares stood ready for his encounter with the black boar he decided to name, Primobelli, The First Boar of War.
As he was trekking his way to his current location he thought about how he would deal with the beast. At first he was going to just toy with the it and then kill it. But after talking out loud and Praeco hearing it, she said instead of kill it, why not try and tame it.
"The way it's sized, it's surely not a normal boar." She said.
So while Ares was contemplating his two choices he ended up in front of this den. Praeco had flown up in the air earlier in their journey and spotted the boar walking on a trail in the dens direction. After landing and telling Ares what she discovered, Ares quickly made his way to catch his prey.
"You sure he's here?" Ares asked Praeco, who somehow through all the travel, stayed snug on Ares' head. "Yes master. His trail ends here, he should be just inside." Replied Praeco, who moved from Ares' head to a tree branch beside him. "Alright, well, here we go." Ares remarked. Picking up the nearest rock he could find Ares, threw it into the den in order to gain the boars attention.
*GRRRR* A deep, guttural growl could be heard by Ares and Praeco followed by the sighting of piercing red eyes. "Stay on your perch Praeco. I Have a feeling this will be... fun." Ares said a blood thirsty smile on his face.
Charging out of its den and directly to Ares, the boars head was down and its tusk and horns aimed at his torso. Not shying away from the challenge, Ares positioned himself take the boar head on and when it was close enough, grabbed the boars two horns and used its momentum to bring it over his head in a suplex-like fashion.
Both combatants quickly got back to their feet and stared each other down. Ares unstrapped his worn sword from his waist and took off his leather cuirass leaving him in only a red chiton.
Circling each other still locked in their staring contest, Ares reinitiated the fight. Sprinting in front of the boar, Ares delivered a right hook that the boar just managed to dodge leaving one of his horns slightly chipped. Following his right with a left and repeating the motion, Ares didn't give the boar anytime to retaliate.
Thinking it was time to finish his onslaught, Ares was about to deliver an elbow to the top of the boars skull when it suddenly let out a piercing cry, "AHHHHHH!!" The cry sounded like ten thousand men going into battle. Shocked by this sudden outburst, Ares couldn't help but stumble back while holding his ears. Even Praeco wasn't safe, having flown away briefly before returning to the branch she was on previously.
Using this lull in the fight, the boar charged at the discombobulated Ares and jumped, impaling the young God. With its horns firmly lodged in Ares' stomach it began pushing the wide eyed God back towards a tree opposite it's den.
Praeco didn't show a viable reaction but when the boar impaled her master she immediately wanted to go by his side. But one look at his face she could tell he would be unhappy with her if she did so. Even though Ares was wide eyed, assuming he was impervious to anything other than divine metals. Even though he was currently being driven back, he was smiling. Ares was having the most fun he's had since leaving Nyx's domain. So Praeco, being the good follower she is, decided to fight her instincts and trust in her master.
"HAHAHAHA!! YES! MORE! ENTERTAIN ME MORE!" Ares aura exploded outwards. The boar that was lodged in his abdomen was blown away along with everything else that was in a one hundred foot radius of Ares. Even Praeco had to transform back into her human form, standing right at the edge of the newly made battlefield.
Rushing at the boar, Ares arrived in front of it delivering a flurry punches and kicks that went on for minutes before grabbing it by its tusks and lifting it over his head slamming it to the ground, splintering, and causing the earth beneath it to quake.
The boar attempted to get up, its legs shaking violently, but it couldn't. Although there were no outward physical wounds internally the boar was damaged badly. Knowing of its imminent defeat, the boar closed its eyes waiting for Ares to deliver the killing blow.
Or so it thought, "HAHAHA!! You were right Praeco. It would be a shame if I killed such a fine beast. Listen here boar, from now on you will be steed. Your name will be Primobelli, The First Boar of War. Like Praeco here you will be my companion for the foreseeable future. Let's treat each other well." Ares finished, staring directly into Primobelli's red eyes that opened when he heard his would be killers laughter.
"Come Primo, let's see if with can find a nymph that could heal your injuries. I could heal you enough to get back on your feet but that's it. Plus, I'm sure other entities whether godly or monster would come and investigate the destruction and frankly, I don't want to deal with that possibility. I might be a battle freak but I'm not suicidal." Said Ares as he finished healing Primo and helping him to his feet.
"Praeco could you find a place for us to rest and food?" Ares asks his ever loyal servant who by now was already on her favorite place. "As you wish master." Praeco said, flying off to do as her master asked.