“Are you sure it’s a good idea to fight them in broad daylight?”

“Well, it’s either that or stumbling over roots in the forest.”

Ercole tightened his belt around his brigand as he made the final steps to applying his armour.

Ercole, Shani and Hreysti, upon hearing the increased numbers of bandits, and the news of the black knight, had wanted to go immediately. They had reasoned that with their numbers actively increasing and the confidence seemingly high it would be better to attack sooner rather than later. Where they could catch them off guard before they could summon more to their cause and attack the village first.

Dyo and Agrippa, not knowing anything about combat—apart from some hunting knowledge—had relented.

So, after a quick lunch, the group departed, travelling a short distance down the road further north. There they had come across the edge of a forest where the farm fields ended, the wilderness overtaking the land from that jagged edge. And at that edge is where they were all donning their equipment.

Agrippa’s was fairly simple. Just a leather jerkin, their dagger and their composite short bow.

Shani’s kit wasn’t too advanced either. She had donned a gambeson and quilted leggings, covering the leggings with some small bits of plate and mail. On her chest was a rather odd-looking mail hauberk, which had bits of plate metal woven in around the chest in a seemingly ad-hock way. Completing the main set was her padded coif, a mail coif, her tall nasal helm, and a sort of veil. It was made of mail and attached to her coil, which covered her lower face. Her hands were covered by a set of boiled leather gauntlets and in them was her shield and spear.

Fully clad like that, she looked like a metal titan. Though the dirty linin cloak over it did somewhat spoil the effect.

For Ercole however… His was a lot more advanced.

He had a similar first few layers with a padded shirt, leggings and coif, with then a mail counterpart layered on top of each of them. When he had finished putting those on, that was then when the plate came on. Plate greaves, spaulders, vambraces, poleyns and cuisses all went on with a little assistance from Dyo. Split leather gauntlets and a fine green brigand finishing the body armour. Leaving only his head to cover, which was done with a polished bascinet helm with a pointed visor.

Dyo didn’t need to know much about armour to tell that all of that armour was well beyond that of any normal man. All it took was one look at all that metal, and a second at the jealous eyes of Shani and Hreysti to gauge that.

The rustle of mail and the clink of plate filled the forest as Ercole made a few stretches and rolled his shoulders.

“So, I dare say we’re about as prepared as we’ll ever be here. Does anyone have any final regrets? No?”

“I wish I had a hauberk.” Hreysti muttered.

“That isn’t quite as profound as what I had in mind but sure.”

“But,” Dyo asked, “Where do we even start with finding them? W-we can’t exactly think about all… That if-”

Hreysti hefted his axe as he strolled over to a small set of bushes. He stood by them for a moment, seemingly sniffing the air for a moment before-

The axe crashed down on the bushes, breaking apart the camouflage to reveal a small path of desire. The faint beaten path snaking deep into the woods.

A short huff came from Ercole as he stepped forwards, “Not quite sure how I didn’t notice that…”

“I’m not quite sure either. This is a clansman’s first camouflage attempt. Even I could do better, and I was never one to go out on raids.”

“Go on raids?”

His head flicked away, “It’s not important… If you really want to know I can talk about it later. All that matters right now is that these people are shit at concealment.”

Ercole shrugged, “Good by me. Onwards then!”

----------------------------------------

It hadn’t taken much walking for Hersyti to smell something on the wind. The scent of men and cook fires.

Dyo couldn’t really smell anything, but he guessed that was one of the “blessings” that vampirism had. All he could smell was the general “fresh” smells of the springtime forest.

But he still felt uneasy. The memories of that bloody encounter against the guards came back into his mind. All the tightness coming back as he looked around at oaks, pine and cedar trees. Things that should put him at peace.

They all stopped as Shani put out a hand.

“We need a scout.”

“What?”

“We need a scout.”

Ercole nodded, his armour clanking as he did, “She’s right. We can’t go in blind. So, any volunteers?”

They all looked between each other.

Agrippa raised a hand as they piped up “I-I I might. I could sneak up on them…”

“What about as a mouse?” Shani asked.

“Wha-“

She rolled her eyes, “You can turn into mouse. Mouse is not a soldier and is small. You go as a mouse and come back. Not likely to be spotted.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“What if I get squished!?”

“Don’t get under their feet. Easy.”

“I-“

“It will be fine! It is this, or we get killed.”

They swallowed, slowly placing their bow onto the ground as they tried to control their breaths. And then it happened. Their flesh melting and compacting, their form slowly disappearing as their clothes fluttered to the ground. A small mouse ran out of it, giving the group a quick look, before scarpering off into the forest.

“You think they’ll be fine?” Dyo asked.

“Probably. Hopefully they are not hungry.”

“Hungry?”

“You know, so hungry you eat boots.”

He swallowed.

“Well, if that was the case,” Ercole followed, “They would have raided the village by now. Assuming they haven’t already extorted some food from it, which I believe they may have from what we’ve been told.”

“I was joking.”

“A-ah… I probably should have seen that…”

“You should have. It is not like you, fancy nobleman.”

They waited there in awkward silence for a while as they listened to the breeze. The soft wind on the pleasant day caused the leaves to rustle lightly. Combined with the grass they formed a pleasant harmony. A sound that Dyo couldn’t help but enjoy as he closed his eyes and just let it- Roll over him… Peace washed over his nervous heart, the memories settling as the open space of the forest embraced him.

But then the bushes rattled as a mouse popped out of them, running towards the clothes on the ground. Agrippa’s male form reforming in their clothes.

“I’ve gotten back a-and I think it’s good?”

“Oh?” Ercole asked, “You don’t sound too sure of that…”

“Well- uh- I don’t know what good looks like but I think it’s what you would call-“

“What did you see?”

“I saw that a lot of them are up and not all of them are in their armour.”

“How many?”

“Uh- I think I saw nine of them in their armour doing some sparing practice including…”

“Including the black knight.”

“Y-Yeah. H-He looked a lot scarier than I thought he would look!”

“So, it isn’t good.” Shani muttered.

“But four of them were out of their armour! A-And they all seemed to be laughing and kinda relaxed. I don’t think they’re expecting- You know!”

“And it is not ideal still.”

“But would it get any better while it’s still light?”

Everyone turned to Dyo as he spoke.

“I guess it might not…” Hreysti mumbled.

Ercole’s armour clanked again, “Are you saying we go right now?”

“I- I don’t know much about fighting but, yes. You said we need to strike early, and the situation is better than walking right in while they’re preparing to attack.”

“That’s true. That and putting on this armour is a little bit of a pain... Shani, Hreysti.”

Hreysti shrugged, “I’ve fought worse odds.”

Shani looked between everyone else, her mouth open before she sighed, “We are all going to die.”

Dyo had no doubt in his mind Ercole was smiling under his visor. A sharp sound echoing around as he pulled out his sword and raised it high, “Right then! Shani, come up next to me and everyone make your prayers. We are going to do an act worthy of the local bards! Perhaps even more chivalrous folk!”

Dyonaigus tried to steady himself again as his nerves seemed to rise in his chest again. His hands patting his gladius as if it might have disappeared. Only for his entire body to bolt as he felt a cold hand clasp his shoulder.

The cold hand of Hreysti.

“Upon Þórr’s and Ōden’s names, I have your back. Remember?”

His heart raced for a moment as Hreysti’s beautiful red eyes stared into his. But, as his sudden blush faded he felt his heart steady once again.

“And I have yours.”

They both stayed there for a moment until-

“You two! Love later, fight now!”

Hreysti whipped around, his white face turning red, “W-wha- I-I-t-”

“Later! Or else they will know we are coming! Come along and get walking now! It is not a long wait!”

“Fine!”

The five started to walk towards the camp. Their footsteps all calculated as they tried to make as little noise as possible as they followed the little trail onwards. The undergrowth grew denser and denser as they went in. But, out in the distance seemed to be a spot of light. Growing closer with each step.

All until they turned a corner and saw the undergrowth start to lessen. The five getting closer still as they saw the clearing in the distance.

And the enemy camp with everyone at attention. All of them standing ready in the camp clearing.

“Agrippa, darling,” Ercole muttered, “you said there were nine in armour and four out of it.”

“Y-y-y-“

“And there are eleven original bandits and two to three new ones. If it was two new ones that would have made thirteen and all would be accounted for. If it was three, it might have meant that there was someone patrolling who heard us… Might you be a bit more thorough next time in scouting the area?”

Thud! Thud!

The sound of their feet stomping against the ground rumbled through the forest. Followed up by a deep, booming voice calling out. Its accent foreign.

“Come closer visitors! I wish to talk to you!”

Thud! Thud!

“Oh?” Ercole sniffed, “At least they haven’t tried to kill us immediately. I’d suggest we don’t anger them and get a little closer as they asked…”

He raised his visor as his posture straightened as he readied himself for something a bit more formal.

The five slowly crept closer, making out the forms of fourteen bandits. Three were simple looters as they had heard with no armour and only wooden clubs and tools as weapons. But the others…

Ten of them were garbed in mail armour with some even featuring some bits of additional armour like leather spaulders, greaves and gauntlets. Their helmets a mix of kettle helms and open bascinets. Most of them though carried spears or arming swords and large shields. Though, standing out against the dull colours of the rest of their armour, was the quilted jackets each man wore over their mail shirts. All of them had the same design, light red with a yellow and black man with a hound.

And then there was also the black knight. Over seven feet tall and enclosed by full plate armour. Every piece of it from the gambeson to the cuirass, was a metallic black. And held with both hands against his chest, was a sword nearly as big as the man himself, firmly planted in the ground.

Shani was in a full defensive posture with her shield up and her spear ready.

“That’s close enough!” The booming voice called, emanating right from the black knight, “I see now… A noble, a soldier, a fae, and two commoners.” He huffed, “I didn’t expect to see a group like this today. Especially in the middle of a forest that no one would go into unless they were trying to find someone…”

“Why thank you!” Ercole said, “You make quite the impression yourself! It’s quite honourable of you to give us the chance to speak. So why is it that you want to talk to us?”

“He’s an orc…” Hreysti mumbled.

Dyo looked over, “What?”

“I can tell by the scent.”

The black knight cleared his throat, “I want to talk to see why you are here and if I need to welcome a guest, or to introduce myself to a foe. I can tell you, nobleman, are not from around here. Are you Gaulik, perhaps?”

“You’re right, and from that accent, I guess you’re a Neuhderlander?”

He huffed, “Correct. Well met Gaulik Noble, whatever your name may be. But you have still not answered my original question. I don’t like dishonesty and tricks you know, there’s no use in delaying.”

“I still have one more question!” Ercole called, “If you are a noble from the empire, what are you doing at the head of a host in the republic?”

“You will have the answer to that final question, but you may now have no more. I am the last of house Gardun, cast out from my home by scheming traitors! And this blade,” He hefted his sword, pulling it into a vom tag stance, “Is the bearing sword that has acted as the symbol of my house for a hundred years! It is my last connection to my land, and I wield it against anyone who gets in my way. My work now may not be as honest as I desire, but all of it is in service of my return! So, are you here to join me, or fight?”

“Your work is as far from honest as you can get!” Dyo spat, stepping forward as he pointed at the knight, “Killing and pillaging for what you want! It isn’t work! What right do you have to do it!?”

“My right is from my birth. This is nothing in the path to the restoration of noble glory! So, who is this measly fae that dares accuse me of fowling my honour!?”

“I am Dionaigus Calsyniacus, son of Calsyniacus and Salonia! In the name of both, I will fight!”

“Well met then, fae! I am Arendt Von Freiherr Gardun and I will not die in this foreign land!”