Dungeon Crawl - Part 3

Reven and Borengar once again found themselves in The Pot Bellied Orc awaiting Krassner's arrival. Reven turned the book over in his hands examining the leather bound tome. He had read pieces of it and didn't understand what was so special about the book. It seemed to be about nothing in particular, parts in it were about architecture, others about the design of suits of armour. There was no clear correlation between the various passages and he did wonder if there could have been two books in the library that bore the same name. Borengar joined him at the table with two freshly poured pints of beer. 'Serving girls here are terrible. It says a lot when a dwarf has to fetch his own beer' he said as he sat heavily in his chair. He looked genuinely put out that he had to travel the ten or so paces to the bar and back. He set about draining his pint as Reven watched Krassner enter the inn. He was flanked by two burly body guards who went and hovered at the bar as Krassner took his seat at the table. 'I see you were successful my friends' Krassner said as he stretched his hand out to take the book. Reven pulled it away, 'There is the matter of our payment to be settled Mr Krassner' Reven said holding the book to his chest. Borengar looked on approvingly whilst using his beard to wipe beer from his lips. Krassner fumbled at his belt and slapped down a pouch full of coins onto the table top. Borengar snatched it up and eyed the contents nodding his approval at Reven who handed the book to Krassner. Krassner snatched it away stroking the cover tenderly as if it were a new born babe. 'Thank you gentleman. May I ask one last boon of you? Can I perhaps borrow a dagger?', Reven cocked an eyebrow at the strange request but handed over his dagger none the less. Krassner worked the blade around the edge of the books cover whilst Borengar and Reven looked on. After carefully cutting around the book he peeled the leather cover off and looked and examined the backside of the leather, a smile spreading across his face. He pushed the dagger back across the table toward Reven. 'Thank you again. We won't be seeing each other again. Enjoy your payment' Krassner rose still grinning broadly. Reven thought he saw him nod his head ever so slightly at his men at the bar before he hurried out of the bar. The men didn't follow but instead turned to the bar and ordered drinks. 'Well' Borengar said, 'That may have been the easiest coin I have ever earned' he sat back with a bemused look on his face, 'More beer?' he asked and got up heading to the bar knowing what Reven's answer would be. Krassner's men at the bar glanced at the dwarf and then at Reven, sharing a private joke as they did so. There was no doubt in Reven's mind of what the men's intent was. They intended to return Krassner's money at the expense of Reven and Borengar's lives.

Krassner's men watched as the youth and the dwarf got deep in their cups. The serving girl was constantly walking back and forth from the bar bringing them pint after pint. Krassner was right, they were frittering away their pay on beer and from the amount of whispering the youth was doing in the serving girls ear he hoped to spend some on women as well. They watched as the youth, Reven, got up and shouted about needing the privy. He staggered across the inn and out of the door, the purse of coins dangling from his belt. They decided with a look that they should take him now, they could finish the dwarf later. Pushing through the inn's patrons they followed Reven out on to the street and down a side alley. They watched him disappear into the pitch black and readied their daggers. They heard him retch as the effects of fresh air and too much beer took hold and they took it as their sign to get about their work.  They grinned as they entered the all encompassing darkness; killing a man as drunk as this and as sick as this would be easy.
They didn't smell his musk as they approached. There was no tell tale glint from his thick armour thanks to the darkness. They didn't hear his breath rasping through his dagger like fangs. He stood motionless, waiting. He had answered the silent call sent to him by his brother who now stood at his side. He watched as they searched for Reven, their eyes unaccustomed to the dark. And when they came close enough he struck.

Reven watched as Fang decapitated his stalkers with two swift bites. One fell sidewards, twitching as his lifeblood spurted over the alleyways fence. The other collapsed straight down in a heap, his armour propping him up. He sat in front of Fang, arms hanging forward in a gesture of supplication. Reven walked forward and kicked the man over. Smiling at Fang he patted the huge beast on the snout and nuzzled his face into fangs shoulder. 'Thank you my friend', said Reven, 'Time for dinner.' Borengar appeared in the mouth of the alley, 'Reven, is all well?', 'We're fine. Krassner's men on the other hand seem to have completely lost theirs heads.' Reven was removing their armour as he spoke and Borengar moved to help him. Knowing what was coming turned the dwarfs stomach but Fang was an effective method of disposing of bodies.

They stripped the armour and stowed it in bags the hung from Fang's side. They would be taken to a smith where the grieves, vambraces, breast and back plates would be flattened to be added to the various pieces of armour that already covered Fang. They had done this many times over the past few years and the various armoured trophies just added to the war hounds menace. Reven took the few coins the men carried and added it to their purse. 'How do you do that?' Borengar asked Reven, 'Do What?' he responded, 'Call the beast without uttering a sound, it's unnerving'. Reven paused before answering, he placed his hand on Fang's head as he bit through a torso, 'We're brothers, we share a bond. As time passes it grows stronger. He knows my thoughts as I know his, two bodies one mind. He gains the use of my intellect and I gain some of his abilities. It's a mutually beneficial relationship' he finished by ruffling the fur on Fangs huge head and turning to face Borengar. 'I owe him my life as he owes me his. He is no beast to me, he is a friend, a brother....my family.' Borengar nodded despite not really knowing where Reven was coming from. When he looked at Fang he just saw a mound of muscle and teeth. 'Well...will you brother be joining us in the inn? Drinking that watered down beer to fool our recently departed friends have given me a terrible thirst.' Reven smiled and clapped his friend on the back, 'No, Fang needs his rest. I'm going to introduce him to Krassner tomorrow.' They both chuckled as they made their way back inside The Pot Bellied Orc. Time to properly celebrate their recently found wealth.