The Crafter's Darkness: A Dungeon Core Novel (Dungeon Crafting Book 4) by Jonathan Brooks (e book reading free txt) 📕

Furbrea cleared her throat loudly, hating to interrupt the touching scene.  “One piece of information I think that might help you make your decision.  I get the feeling that those that become mercenaries for the Elves might be even better equipped than those that stay here.  From what I understand, they need us to help them fight and will do whatever they can to ensure any that help stay alive.  It would be a bad investment and deal, otherwise.”

Whether her words convinced the Warband Leader or not, he gave in shortly thereafter.  “Fine.  I agree that the swords and possibly this armor will be a huge help, so if that’s what you all want to do, I’m not going to argue.  Perceine, since you were set on this first, I’ll let you choose…six others, which should cover the price that needs to be paid.  Unless I count in that total, as well?” he asked, looking at Furbrea.

“No.  From what I understand, any Warband Leader that agrees with this deal gets their sword for free.”  She wasn’t absolutely sure of that, but it seemed reasonable.

The Warband member known as Perceine – or should I say “former” member? – quickly picked out 6 others, which didn’t include the one that hadn’t volunteered earlier.  That one didn’t say anything, though Furbrea could see his eyes on her, Perchunk, and Gorbal as they left the campfire to go to the supply hut for their weapons and armor.  Normally, she probably would’ve waited for the next day, just to ensure that they didn’t run off with the equipment in the middle of the night without “paying”, but Palzerk and the rest of the Warband seemed honorable enough that she didn’t have any concerns.  Except for the one that was now staring at the supply hut.

Everyone was pleased at the new swords they received, and even the armor was acceptable.  “It’s a little bulkier than I’m used to, but I can tell already that it will protect me much better than these scraps I’m wearing,” the Warband Leader said after he tried it on and adjusted it.  “You’re right, they’re very well made, and I think they’ll last for quite a while.  It’ll probably take us a little while to get used to them, but I also believe the tradeoff in speed will be worth it for the extra protection.”

“I’ll be sure to pass that along to the Elves.  We’ve prepared the barracks and some of the other huts for you and your Warband for the night, because I remember you said you needed to leave first thing in the morning.”

“Thank you, Furbrea.  I for one would appreciate that, especially as I’m so full after that meal that I could use a nap,” he chuckled as he stood up, patting her on the back as he passed by with his other hand holding his new sword as if it was now permanently attached to his body.  She caught him before he and the others could leave.

“Just a warning because I don’t want anyone to get hurt.  The supply hut is off-limits to anyone not of this village, so I would advise you not to let anyone enter it.” She eyed the member that was stealing glances at the hut.  “The Elves left a…security system in place that would be advisable to avoid.”

“Understood,” Palzerk said to her before raising his voice to the others.  “We’re sleeping here tonight before we leave in the morning.  That said, I don’t want to catch anyone messing with the villagers or going anywhere that they don’t belong.  If I catch you messing around, you’re out of the Warband.  In fact, you’ll be lucky if I don’t just kill you, but I can be merciful.”

With that, everyone went to their respective sleeping areas and Furbrea and the others spent a few minutes cleaning up before heading to sleep themselves.

She woke up abruptly in the middle of the night and sat up, a scream ringing in her ears.  Furbrea thought it might’ve been a dream before she heard another one – just as it was cut off abruptly and the sound of wood splintering shattered the silence of the night.  She was up and out of her bed in a flash, flying through the door and halfway to the supply hut before she was fully awake; she instantly recognized the direction the scream and sounds of splintering wood came from, and she had a fairly good idea why it happened.

Palzerk and a few other members of the Warband were there before her, as they could run much faster than she could with her old bones.  Right outside of the supply hut was the same Warband member she had seen earlier eyeing the supply hut; though to be fair, it was kind of hard to tell because his head was caved in and there was a significant concave dent in his new chest armor.  Whatever had hit him had hit him hard, but it was also obvious that the armor had protected the majority of his chest from the impact.  It was too bad he wasn’t wearing armor on his face, though.

There was a vaguely Orc-shaped hole in the side of the supply hut, where she assumed the intruding Warband member had been forcibly…removed.  Through the hole she could see the two metal monkeys standing still, looking perfectly normal except for a visible line carved into the chest of one – that didn’t seem to hurt it at all.

Palzerk knelt down by the dead Orc’s side and looked him over briefly, before looking through the hole into the supply hut.  Furbrea knew he could see the two guards just as well as she could, but he didn’t make any comment about them.  What he did do was take the steel sword that was lying by the deceased Orc’s side