Rise of the Horde

Redore headed towards his own tent. His mind was filled with memories of the previous night. He shook his head. "I need to focus."

As he walked towards his own tent, he found himself lost in thought. Part of him wanted to go and check on the woman and at least get her name, but he knew that he had responsibilities to tend to.

With a heavy heart, he entered his tent and began gathering his gear. He knew that he needed to focus on the task at hand.

After he had gathered his gear, he left his tent and headed towards where his men were at. Among their current army, they were the best riders there is.

The Albernans also assembled a cavalry of their own but lack skills and experience. Compared to the riders under the viscount, the Albernans were complete rookies.

Redore had always been proud of his men and their abilities, and he knew that they were ready for any challenge that lay ahead of them. They have been with him for years.

As he approached his men, he saw that they were already preparing their steeds and gear. "Good to see that you're all ready," he said with a nod.

"We're always ready, my lord," one of his men replied with a grin. "We're just itching to get out there and kick some ass."

Redore couldn't help but chuckle at the man's enthusiasm. "Well, we'll have our chance soon enough. But first, we need to make sure that we're properly equipped and prepared. Make sure that we have everything, especially your balls."

Laughter broke out among his men. "I have mine here," one of them grabbed towards his balls. "How about you?" he tapped his fellow rider beside him.

"Your hand reeks. Washing your balls is a must." The man slapped the hand that was near his shoulders. "No woman would want a man whose balls stink like spoiled food."

"That is the scent of a real man's balls."

The riders continued to laugh as they packed their stuff. Redore smiled at the amusing scene of one of his men letting the others have a sniff of his hand.

He then went on to inspect their gear and provisions, making sure that everything was in order. As he did so, his mind kept drifting back to the woman from the previous night. He couldn't help but wonder who she was and what her story was.

But he knew that he had to push those thoughts away and focused on the mission at hand. They have got to succeed or else they wouldn't be able to mount a counterattack.

After making sure that his men were all set, the viscount headed back towards the tent where Nassor was at. It was time for him to meet with their guide.

Nassor was on his seat waiting for him when Redore entered the tent. The old man looked up from the map he was studying and nodded in greeting.

"Ah, Redore. I trust your men are ready?" Nassor asked.

Redore nodded. "They're all set. But before we proceed, I need to know more about our guide. What can you tell me about her?"

Nassor paused for a few moments, his eyes flickering with a hint of amusement. "Ah, yes. Our guide. She's quite a character, that one. Her name is Eris, and she's a skilled tracker and hunter. She knows these lands like the back of her hand. Other Albernans might be scared of the forest, but not her."

Redore raised an eyebrow in surprise. "She? I wasn't expecting a woman to be our guide. Are you certain that she won't put us in harm's way?"

Nassor just shrugged his shoulders. "Gender doesn't matter when it comes to tracking and survival skills. Besides, Eris is one of the best in the business. You won't find anyone better suited for this task."

Redore nodded, impressed. "Very well. And what else can you tell me about her? So that I don't start off on the wrong foot with her."

Nassor leaned back in his chair, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Well, she's not exactly...conventional. She has a bit of a wild streak, you might say. Spends most of her time alone in the wilderness. But don't let that fool you. She can be quite charming when she wants to be."

Redore couldn't help but chuckle at the old man's description. "Sounds like a very interesting woman. I look forward to meeting her."

Nassor nodded. "You already met her."

"Huh?" Redore had confusion all over his face after hearing the words of the old man. "I already met her?"

Nassor nodded his head again. "Yes, you already did. And I think you already know a lot about her. Like her weak points and all." A teasing smile was on the old commander's lips.

The viscount's confusion went up a notch higher. Before Redore could raise another question, the sound of a horse neighing outside caught his attention.

"She is here. Let's go outside to meet her." Nassor let out a soft chuckle, then went ahead.

Redore nodded in acknowledgement and made his way towards the tent flap. He took a deep breath and stepped outside, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of the guide. It didn't take him long to spot her.

Eris was patting the head of her steed with gentle strokes. She was whispering something to the horse.

"Redore, meet Eris. She will be the one responsible for guiding you through the Mystic Forest. Eris, this here is Viscount Redore. He and his men will need your assistance." Nassor introduced the two of them to each other.

The viscount observed their guide. She was dressed in a simple leather tunic and pants, with a bow and quiver slung over her shoulder. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a messy braid.

Redore couldn't help but feel that the woman was familiar. Especially her hair and the shape of her body.

"Nice to-..." Eris' words were cut short as she turned around. ｂｅｄ𝚗ｏ𝚟𝚎𝚕.𝚌𝚘ｍ

"It's you..." the two exclaimed in surprise as they finally got to see each other's face.

Nassor let out a hearty laugh after witnessing the reaction of the two. "I believe that you two are already well acquainted with each other. After all, you caused quite a ruckus while you were together and...Ha!!! Ha!!!Ha!!!" he didn't continue with his words.

The guide's face turned a shade of crimson after being reminded of what happened during that time. She can't raise her head up because of shame.